Jack Nelson (swimmer)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jack Weyman Nelson |
| National team |  United States |
| Born | November 8, 1931 Chickamauga, Georgia |
| Died | November 5, 2014 (aged 82) Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
| Weight | 161 lb (73 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Butterfly |
| Club | North Carolina Athletic Club |
| College team | University of Miami |
Jack Weyman Nelson (November 8, 1931 – November 5, 2014) was an American competition swimmer and swimming coach.
Nelson competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia representing the United States. He later served as a head coach for the U.S. Olympic women's swim team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec. Nelson was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Coach" in 1994, and the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Nelson was notably accused of rape and sexual harassment by Diana Nyad and her teammates.
Career
Nelson represented the United States at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and competed in the men's 200-meter butterfly, finishing fourth in the event final. He later served as the head coach for the U.S. Olympic women's swim team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec.[1]
Honors
Nelson was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Coach" in 1994.[2]
Personal life
Nelson died on November 5, 2014, of complications from Alzheimer's disease; he was 82.[3]
Nelson has been accused by Diana Nyad, a former pupil, and her teammates, of rape and sexual harassment. Nyad and her teammates first reported sexual assault incidents to the headmaster of Pine Crest, William McMillan, in 1971–1972; McMillan subsequently terminated Nelson's contract. Nelson continued to coach the Pine Crest School swim team as he also coached the USA Olympic swim teams in 1976 and 1980. [4] Nyad more recently said publicly that Nelson molested her beginning when she was 14 years old and continued until she graduated from high school at Pine Crest School, as he did with other girls he coached.[5][6][7] The incidents of sexual assault are depicted in the 2023 film Nyad with Eric T. Miller as Nelson.
See also
References
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jack Nelson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ^ "Jack Nelson (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ^ Comming, Jeff (November 5, 2014). "Jack Nelson, the Coach Behind 1976 Epic Relay Win, Dies After Battle with Alzheimer's". Swimming World.
- ^ Harrell, Ashley (June 14, 2007). "Jack and Diana". Broward Palm Beach New Times.
- ^ Levy, Ariel (February 10, 2014). "Breaking the Waves". The New Yorker.
- ^ Nyad, Diana (November 9, 2017). "My Life After Sexual Assault". The New York Times.
- ^ Funcheon, Deirdra (June 5, 2014). "An Underage Sex Scandal Leads to South Florida's Swimming Hall of Fame". Miami New Times.
External links
- Jack Nelson at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Jack Nelson at World Aquatics
- Jack Nelson at Olympedia
- Jack Nelson at Olympics.com
| Men's Team |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Women's Team | ||
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