Robert Danforth Skelton (June 25, 1903 – June 25, 1977) was an American competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.

Biography

Skelton was born in

Wilmette, Illinois Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Bordering Lake Michigan and Evanston, Illinois, it is located north of Chicago's downtown district. Wilmette had a population of 27,087 at the 2010 census. The ...

. He attended

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

in Evanston, Illinois, where he swam for the

Northwestern Wildcats The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, located in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern ...

swimming and diving team in

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

(NCAA) competition. Skelton competed at the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The o ...

in Paris, where he won a gold medal in the men's 200-meter breaststroke event. Skelton finished in 2:56.6, decisively defeating Belgian swimmer

Joseph De Combe Joseph De Combe (19 June 1901 – 1965) was a Belgian swimmer and water polo player who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics, 1928 Summer Olympics and 1936 Summer Olympics. In the 1924 Olympics he won a silver medal in the 200 m bre ...

(2:59.2), and fellow American Bill Kirschbaum (3:01.0). He was the first American to set a world record for the 200-meter breaststroke. Skelton died in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

in 1977; he was 74 years old.

References

Sources

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Robert Skelton (USA)
– Honor Pioneer Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame
1903 births 1977 deaths People from Wilmette, Illinois American male breaststroke swimmers World record setters in swimming Northwestern Wildcats men's swimmers Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics 20th-century American people {{US-swimming-Olympic-medalist-stub

Biography

See also

References

Sources