In Rowing, Men’s Four Wins First Olympic Gold Medal Since 1960
The last time a U.S. crew in the coxless men’s four stood atop the podium, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president.
Athlete Bio#
Read moreRead less
Age
72
Hometown
Philadelphia , PA
Education
Connecticut College; University of Pennsylvania School of Law
Quick Facts
- First woman from the U.S. to be elected to the International Olympic Committee
- 1984 vice president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee
- Inducted into the USOPC Hall of Fame, Class of 2025
Biographical Information
Anita DeFrantz made history at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976, winning bronze in the inaugural women’s eight event and becoming the first—and still the only—Black woman to earn an Olympic medal in rowing. Her trailblazing legacy extends far beyond the water, however, and in 1986, she became the first African American and the first woman elected to the International Olympic Committee, breaking barriers at the highest levels of sport governance.
DeFrantz played a pivotal role as vice president of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Organizing Committee, helping to deliver one of the most financially and operationally successful Games in Olympic history. For her unwavering commitment to the Olympic Movement, she received the prestigious Olympic Order in 1980, and in 2024, was honored with the NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award. Through two decades of leadership at the LA84 Foundation, DeFrantz has expanded access to sport for underserved youth across Los Angeles, cementing her impact on both the sport of rowing and the broader Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
Olympic Experience
- 1-time Olympian
- Olympic Games Montreal 1976, bronze (Women’s Eight)
RELATED NEWS#
Team USA Pushes Towards Medal Races On Day 5 Of Rowing
With three more days of rowing remaining, Day 5 got underway Wednesday American crews hitting the water.
At Stroke, Liam Corrigan Could Help The Men’s Four Win Team USA’s First Olympic Gold In 64 Years
Last September, Olympian Liam Corrigan stroked the coxless men’s four to a silver medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships, finishing 2.02 seconds behind Great Britain. It was the U.S.’s first world championships medal in the event in nine years—an...
Daisy Mazzio-Manson Brings Rowing History to the U.S. Women’s 8
For most kids, crew is a sport far off their radar. Daisy Mazzio-Manson could easily answer how she got into rowing as a kid. She grew up in a house where rowing runs deep. Her mom is an Olympian, her dad a world championship medalist, and her brother ...
Meghan Musnicki’s Journey Back To Her Sixth World Rowing Championships
Meghan Musnicki is one of the most decorated rowers in U.S. history. Over the past 15 years, the woman affectionately known as “Moose” — for her strength helping power the women’s 8 through seven undefeated years — has earned two Olympic gold medals, f...
