As of 7/15/2024
OUTRIGGER OLYMPIANS: 47 (1912-2024).
OLYMPIC SPORTS COMPETED IN: 11 (beach volleyball, Canadian canoe, diving, foil, kayak, sailing, shooting, swimming, volleyball, water polo, and weightlifting).
OLYMPIC RECORDS SET: 3 (Buster Crabbe 1932 and Bill Smith 1948, both in 400-meter freestyle), Pokey Watson (Richardson), 1968, swimming.
YOUNGEST OLYMPIAN: Marjorie Gestring, 13 (1936).
OLDEST OLYMPIAN: Duke Kahanamoku, 42 (1932).
OLDEST LIVING OCC OLYMPIANS: John Alstrom, 82; and Jon Stanley, 80.
OCC CLEAN SWEEP: Duke Kahanamoku (1st), Pua Kealoha (2nd) and Bill Harris (3rd) won all three medals in the 1920 100-meter freestyle.
OLYMPIC MEDALS WON: Outrigger Olympians have won more medals (37 as of 2020) than 103 of the 156 competing countries.
HAWAII-ORIGINATED OLYMPIC SPORTS:
- The sport of Beach Volleyball was founded at the Outrigger Canoe Club in 1915 by Dad Center. It became an Olympic sport in 1992.
- The Outrigger Canoe Club was founded for the purpose of revitalizing surfing and other ocean sports in 1908. Surfing became an Olympic sport in 2020. The first gold medal in surfing was won by Carissa Moore.
FAMILY OLYMPIANS: Father-Son Jon (1968, 1972) and Clay (2004, 2008, 2012) Stanley, and brothers Erik and Kawika Shoji (2016, 2020), volleyball.
FIRST WOMAN US OLYMPIC MEDALIST: Aileen Riggin (Soule) was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal, a gold in 3-meter fancy springboard diving in 1920.
THREE KAHANAMOKUS: In 1924, the famous family had 3 members on the US team: Duke (silver) and Sam (bronze) in the 100-meter freestyle. Brother David was the team trainer. 4/10 of a second separated Duke and Sam’s swim times.
OLYMPIC HALL OF FAME: Duke Kahanamoku, swimming.
THE OLYMPIC SNOOZE: In 1912 Duke and his teammates were sleeping during the semi-finals of their event due to a misunderstanding of the schedule. After frantic negotiations by the US an additional qualifying heat was added for them. Duke set a world record in the heat and went on to win gold in the 100-meter freestyle finals.
OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL MVP: Clay Stanley, 2008.
FOUR-TIME OLYMPIAN: Duke Kahanamoku (3 swimming, 1 water polo).
THREE-TIME OLYMPIANS: Tracy Phillips (kayak), Clay Stanley (volleyball), Lindsey Berg (volleyball), Peter George (weightlifting), Chris Duplanty (water polo).
OLYMPIC COACHES: Dad Center, swimming; Tony Crabb, John Lowell, Jim Iams, volleyball; Chris Duplanty, water polo.
USA VOLLEYBALL’S TOP 20 ALL TIME BEACH OLYMPIANS: Tri Bourne (2020), Stein Metzger (2004), Kevin Wong (2000).
OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL TEAM CAPTAINS: Pete Velasco, 1964; Tom “Daddy” Haine, 1968; Beth McLachlin, 1976; Lindsey Berg, 2008; Clay Stanley, 2008; Kawika Shoji, 2020.
OCEAN VS POOL SWIMMING: Outrigger’s early Olympians (1912-1920) trained in the ocean and Honolulu Harbor on straight away courses. When they went to the Mainland to qualify for the Olympics, they had to learn how to do starts from blocks and turns in a pool.
TOTAL WORLD RECORDS SET BY OUTRIGGER OLYMPIANS: 81: Duke Kahanamoku, 29; Bill Smith, 10; Pokey Watson, 10; Buster Crabbe, 8; Allen Stack, 7; Dick Cleveland, 6; Peter George, 5; Mariechen Wehselau, 4; Bill Craig, 1; Pua Kealoha, 1.
OLYMPIC FUNDRAISER: Actor Tom Selleck who played on Outrigger’s masters men’s volleyball teams, helped raise funds for Team USA’s men’s volleyball program. For his efforts, the team awarded him the title of Honorary Captain in four different Olympic Games (1984-1996).