Pat McCormick

Two-time Olympian (1952, 1956); four-time Olympic medalist (4 golds) Helsinki 1952, gold (three-meter, 10-meter) Melbourne 1956, gold (three-meter, 10-meter)

4
GOLD

0
SILVER

0
BRONZE

Athlete Bio

Age

Died (Aged 92)

1930-2023

Hometown

Long Beach, CA

Education

Woodrow Wilson Classical High School (Long Beach, Calif.) Long Beach City College; California State University, Long Beach

Quick Facts

Would practice diving off the Los Alamitos Bridge
Often would perform dives that were outlawed for women in international competition until 1952
Was seen springing on a diving board by an official of the Los Angeles Athletic Club as a teenager and was invited to a tryout with the team
Worked as a model for Catalina swimsuits after the Olympic Games and did diving tours
Husband, John, was the Amateur Athletic Union champion in the 10-meter in 1950 and 1951
Earned her bachelor's degree, as well as a nursing degree
Mother to two children, Tim and Kelly
McCormick and her daughter are the only American mother and daughter to have both won Olympic medals
Founded the Pat McCormick Educational Foundation.

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Hall Of Fame Bio

Patricia McCormick is the first woman to win both the three-meter and 10-meter diving events in back-to-back Olympic Games. As a child growing up in Long Beach, California, McCormick executed dives disallowed in women's competition due to their perceived level of difficulty. She won her first Olympic gold medals at the Olympic Games Helsinki 1952 in both the three-meter and 10-meter Diving events. McCormick’s second double victory at the Melbourne 1956 Games came only eight months after the birth of her son. Her margin of victory in the three-meter competition remains the most impressive in the history of Olympic Diving. She later served on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games Organizing Committee and founded the Pat’s Champs program to help motivate children.