William Albert Yorzyk Jr. (May 29, 1933 – September 2, 2020) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and one-time world record-holder.[1]
![]() Yorzyk in 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | William Albert Yorzyk Jr. | |||||||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | "Bill" | |||||||||||||||||||
National team | ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1933-05-29)May 29, 1933 Northampton, Massachusetts | |||||||||||||||||||
Died | September 2, 2020(2020-09-02) (aged 87) | |||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 163 lb (74 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Butterfly, freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||
Club | New Haven Swim Club | |||||||||||||||||||
College team | Springfield College | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Yorzyk represented the United States at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.[2] He was the first swimmer to win the gold medal in the new 200-meter butterfly event, finishing with a time of 2:19.3 in the final.[2][3]
Yorzyk continued to swim competitively while he attended medical school at the University of Toronto. Yorzyk served as a physician in the United States Air Force Medical Corps and was commissioned a captain. He won the U.S. AAU indoor championship in the 220-yard butterfly in 1958. He was awarded the university's Bickle Prize as its outstanding student-athlete in 1958 and 1959.[4]
Yorzyk was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1971.[4]
William Yorzyk died on 2 September 2020, aged 87.[5]
1956 USA Olympic swimming team | ||
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Men's Team | ![]() | |
Women's Team |
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Pan American Champions in Men's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | |
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