Patricia MCCORMICK

Patricia McCormick won both the springboard and the platform diving events at both the 1952 and the 1956 editions of the Olympic Games. Her double-double Olympic diving victories have been matched only by Greg Louganis among the men.

A very Olympic family

McCormick’s second double victory at Melbourne came only eight months after the birth of her son. McCormick continued training throughout her pregnancy and swam 800 metres a day until two days before childbirth. Her margin of victory in the 1956 springboard, 142.36 to 125.89 (more than 16 points) for fellow American Jeanne Stunyo, remains the most impressive in the history of Olympic diving. McCormick's husband, John McCormick, was the AAU champion on the platform in 1950-51 and her daughter, Kelly, competed for the United States at the 1984 and 1988 editions of the Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in 1984 and a bronze medal in 1988, both on the springboard.