John Kinsella (swimmer)

John Kinsella

Personal information

Full name

John Pitann Kinsella

National team

United States

Born

August 26, 1952 (age 64)
Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.

Height

6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

Weight

201 lb (91 kg)

Sport

Swimming

Strokes

Freestyle

Club

Hinsdale Swim Club

College team

Indiana University

Medal record

Representing the United States
Olympic Games
	1972 Munich	4×200 m relay
	1968 Mexico City	1500 m freestyle

John Pitann Kinsella (born August 26, 1952) is an American former competition swimmer, an Olympic champion, and a former world record-holder in multiple events.

Kinsella was a standout at Illinois swimming powerhouse Hinsdale Central High School in the late 1960s. As a 16-year-old, he was the silver medalist in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, finishing second to U.S. teammate Mike Burton.

In 1970, while still a high school senior and swimming for the Hinsdale McDonald's Swim Club coached by Don Watson, he was awarded the Amateur Athletic Union's James E. Sullivan Award in recognition of the outstanding American amateur athlete of the year. In 1970 he also became the first person to swim 1,500 meters under 16 minutes. After graduating from high school, Kinsella, together with Mark Spitz, Gary Hall, Sr. and other notable swimmers, were part of Doc Counsilman's legendary Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team at Indiana University, which dominated men's college swimming in the early 1970s. Kinsella won NCAA national championships in the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events in 1971, 1972 and 1973.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Kinsella won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. The first-place team of Kinsella, Fred Tyler, Steve Genter and Mark Spitz set a new world record time of 7:35.78 in the event final.

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