David Charles "Dave" Berkoff (born November 30, 1966) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. Berkoff was a backstroke specialist who won a total of four Olympic medals during his career at two different Olympic Games. He is best known for his powerful underwater start, the eponymous "Berkoff Blastoff".[1][2]
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | David Charles Berkoff | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | "Dave" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1966-11-30) November 30, 1966 (age 55) Abington, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 154 lb (70 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Backstroke | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Bernal's Gator Swim Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | Harvard University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, he won a gold medal by swimming the backstroke leg for the winning U.S. men's team in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay in the event final. Individually, he also won a silver medal by placing second in the men's 100-meter backstroke event.[citation needed]
Four years later at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Berkoff earned another gold medal by swimming for the winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the men's 4×100-meter medley relay. He also won a bronze medal by placing third in the 100-meter backstroke.[citation needed]
Berkoff was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 2005.[3]
Records | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Men's 100-meter backstroke world record-holder (long course) August 12, 1988 – August 25, 1991 |
Succeeded by |
1988 USA Olympic swimming team | ||
---|---|---|
Men's Team |
| |
Women's Team | ||
Coaches |
|
1992 USA Olympic swimming team | ||
---|---|---|
Qualification |
| |
Men's Team |
| |
Women's Team | ||
Coaches |
|
Summer Universiade Champions in Men's 4×100 m Medley Relay | |
---|---|
|