Richard William Roth (born September 26, 1947) is an American former competition
swimmer
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. He swam in the
1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the gold medal for his first-place finish in the
men's 400-meter individual medley, setting a new world record of 4:45.4 in the event final. Shortly before the individual medley final, Roth suffered an
appendicitis
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a r ...
, but refused an immediate operation. He insisted the surgeons delay to allow him to swim in the final, and won the gold medal as a result.
[Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes]
Dick Roth
. Retrieved march 13, 2015.
Roth attended
Stanford University. He was a two-time individual NCAA champion for the
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal are the athletic teams that represent Stanford University. As of June, 2022, Stanford's program has won 131 NCAA team championships. Stanford has won at least one NCAA team championship each academic year for 46 consecutive ...
swimming and diving team, winning the 200- and 400-yard individual medley.
See also
*
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests an ...
*
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Men's events 50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
200 metre ...
*
List of Stanford University people
*
World record progression 200 metres individual medley
*
World record progression 400 metres individual medley
References
External links
*
*
1947 births
Living people
American male medley swimmers
World record setters in swimming
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming
Sportspeople from Palo Alto, California
Stanford Cardinal men's swimmers
Swimmers at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Universiade medalists in swimming
Universiade gold medalists for the United States
Medalists at the 1965 Summer Universiade
20th-century American people
{{US-swimming-Olympic-medalist-stub