American swimmer
Sandra Lynn Neilson (born March 20, 1956), also known by her married name Sandy Bell , is an American former competition swimmer , three-time Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder.
Amateur career
Neilson won her only Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national championship in 1971 in the 100-yard freestyle. While a student at El Monte High School , Neilson set CIF Southern Section records in 1972 for both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events.[ 1] She later attended University of California, Santa Barbara , where she was a member of the UCSB Gauchos swim team and a three-time All-American. In 1977, she won both the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle national championships.
1972 Summer Olympics
Despite being ranked as the third-best American swimmer, Neilson participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany at the age of 16. In the 100-meter freestyle, Neilson defeated heavy favorites Shane Gould from Australia and her American teammate Shirley Babashoff in an Olympic record time of 58.59 seconds. The victory landed her a spot on the 4×100-meter freestyle relay with Babashoff as well as the 4×100-meter medley relay . Both of Neilson's relay teams won gold medals in world record times.[ 2]
In a twist of fate, during the Munich massacre which took place after the day after the swimming events were completed, both Gould and Babashoff were huddled with Neilson in her Olympic Village while the massacre was taking place. Neilson recalled, "When we found out about the terrorists, I called my parents and told them I loved them. I thought I might never see them again."[ 3]
Post-Olympic life
Neilson met her current coach and husband, Dr. Keith Bell, a Texas sports psychologist, in 1984. Bell successfully argued in August 1984 to the International Swimming Hall of Fame that Neilson had been "retired" for nine years, despite still participating in U.S. Masters Swimming . This made her eligible under the ISHOF's four-year retirement requirements and Neilson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.[ 4] [ 5]
Neilson participated in the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials. She missed qualifying for the 1996 Trials in the 50-meter freestyle by a mere nine one-hundredths (0.09) of a second.[ 3]
In 1996, Neilson was the first swimmer over 40 to be ranked top 25 in the world in an event (50-meter freestyle) and the first swimmer over 40 to compete in U.S. National Championships, at which she was honored by having USA Swimming's comeback award named after her, the "Sandy Neilson-Bell Comeback Swimmer of the Year Award".[ 3]
See also
References
^ CIF-Southern Section. "CIF-Southern Section All Sports Press Guide And Record Book" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012 .
^ "Olympedia – Sandy Neilson" . Olympedia . Retrieved January 26, 2023 .
^ a b c Lee Nessel (December 29, 2000) ISHOF Honor Swimmer Sandra Neilson . US Masters Swimming. usms.org
^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Sandy Neilson . Retrieved June 14, 2015.
^ "Sandra Neilson (USA)" . ISHOF.org . International Swimming Hall of Fame . Archived from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2015 .
External links
Men's team Women's team Coaches
1912 : Belle Moore , Jennie Fletcher , Annie Speirs , Irene Steer (GBR )
1920 : Margaret Woodbridge , Frances Schroth , Irene Guest , Ethelda Bleibtrey (USA )
1924 : Euphrasia Donnelly , Gertrude Ederle , Ethel Lackie , Mariechen Wehselau (USA )
1928 : Adelaide Lambert , Albina Osipowich , Eleanor Saville , Martha Norelius (USA )
1932 : Helen Johns , Eleanor Saville , Josephine McKim , Helene Madison (USA )
1936 : Jopie Selbach , Tini Wagner , Willy den Ouden , Rie Mastenbroek (NED )
1948 : Marie Corridon , Thelma Kalama , Brenda Helser , Ann Curtis (USA )
1952 : Ilona Novák , Judit Temes , Éva Novák-Gerard , Katalin Szőke (HUN )
1956 : Dawn Fraser , Faith Leech , Sandra Morgan , Lorraine Crapp (AUS )
1960 : Joan Spillane , Shirley Stobs , Carolyn Wood , Chris von Saltza (USA )
1964 : Sharon Stouder , Donna de Varona , Lillian Watson , Kathy Ellis (USA )
1968 : Jane Barkman , Linda Gustavson , Susan Pedersen , Jan Henne (USA )
1972 : Shirley Babashoff , Jane Barkman , Jenny Kemp , Sandy Neilson (USA )
1976 : Kim Peyton , Jill Sterkel , Shirley Babashoff , Wendy Boglioli (USA )
1980 : Barbara Krause , Caren Metschuck , Ines Diers , Sarina Hülsenbeck (GDR )
1984 : Jenna Johnson , Carrie Steinseifer , Dara Torres , Nancy Hogshead (USA )
1988 : Kristin Otto , Katrin Meissner , Daniela Hunger , Manuela Stellmach (GDR )
1992 : Nicole Haislett , Angel Martino , Jenny Thompson , Dara Torres , Ashley Tappin , Crissy Ahmann-Leighton (USA )
1996 : Angel Martino , Amy Van Dyken , Catherine Fox , Jenny Thompson , Lisa Jacob , Melanie Valerio (USA )
2000 : Amy Van Dyken , Courtney Shealy , Jenny Thompson , Dara Torres , Erin Phenix , Ashley Tappin (USA )
2004 : Alice Mills , Libby Lenton , Petria Thomas , Jodie Henry , Sarah Ryan (AUS )
2008 : Inge Dekker , Ranomi Kromowidjojo , Femke Heemskerk , Marleen Veldhuis , Hinkelien Schreuder , Manon van Rooijen (NED )
2012 : Alicia Coutts , Cate Campbell , Brittany Elmslie , Melanie Schlanger , Emily Seebohm , Yolane Kukla , Libby Trickett (AUS )
2016 : Emma McKeon , Brittany Elmslie , Bronte Campbell , Cate Campbell , Madison Wilson (AUS )
2020 : Bronte Campbell , Meg Harris , Emma McKeon , Cate Campbell , Mollie O'Callaghan , Madison Wilson (AUS )
2024 : Mollie O'Callaghan , Shayna Jack , Emma McKeon , Meg Harris , Olivia Wunsch , Bronte Campbell (AUS )
1960 : Lynn Burke , Patty Kempner , Carolyn Schuler , Chris von Saltza (USA )
1964 : Cathy Ferguson , Cynthia Goyette , Sharon Stouder , Kathy Ellis (USA )
1968 : Kaye Hall , Catie Ball , Ellie Daniel , Susan Pedersen (USA )
1972 : Melissa Belote , Cathy Carr , Deena Deardurff , Sandy Neilson (USA )
1976 : Ulrike Richter , Hannelore Anke , Kornelia Ender , Andrea Pollack (GDR )
1980 : Rica Reinisch , Ute Geweniger , Andrea Pollack , Caren Metschuck (GDR )
1984 : Theresa Andrews , Tracy Caulkins , Mary T. Meagher , Nancy Hogshead (USA )
1988 : Kristin Otto , Silke Hörner , Birte Weigang , Katrin Meissner (GDR )
1992 : Lea Loveless , Anita Nall , Crissy Ahmann-Leighton , Jenny Thompson , Janie Wagstaff , Megan Kleine , Summer Sanders , Nicole Haislett (USA )
1996 : Beth Botsford , Amanda Beard , Angel Martino , Amy Van Dyken , Catherine Fox , Whitney Hedgepeth , Kristine Quance , Jenny Thompson (USA )
2000 : Barbara Bedford , Megan Quann , Jenny Thompson , Dara Torres , Courtney Shealy , Ashley Tappin , Amy Van Dyken , Staciana Stitts (USA )
2004 : Giaan Rooney , Leisel Jones , Petria Thomas , Jodie Henry , Brooke Hanson , Jessicah Schipper , Alice Mills (AUS )
2008 : Emily Seebohm , Leisel Jones , Jessicah Schipper , Libby Trickett , Tarnee White , Felicity Galvez , Shayne Reese (AUS )
2012 : Missy Franklin , Rebecca Soni , Dana Vollmer , Allison Schmitt , Rachel Bootsma , Breeja Larson , Claire Donahue , Jessica Hardy (USA )
2016 : Kathleen Baker , Lilly King , Dana Vollmer , Simone Manuel , Olivia Smoliga , Katie Meili , Kelsi Worrell , Abbey Weitzeil (USA )
2020 : Cate Campbell , Chelsea Hodges , Emma McKeon , Kaylee McKeown , Mollie O'Callaghan , Emily Seebohm , Brianna Throssell (AUS )
2024 : Regan Smith , Lilly King , Gretchen Walsh , Torri Huske , Katharine Berkoff , Emma Weber , Alex Shackell , Kate Douglass (USA )
1951 : C. Green , S. Geary , J. LaVine , B. Brey (USA )
1955 : W. Werner , C. Green , G. Kluter , J. Roberts (USA )
1959 : M. Botkin , J. Spillane , S. Stobs , C. von Saltza (USA )
1963 : D. de Varona , S. Stouder , E. McCleary , J. Norton (USA )
1967 : W. Fordyce , P. Carpinelli , L. Gustavson , P. Kruse (USA )
1971 : S. Neilson , W. Fordyce , K. McKitrick , L. Skrifvars (USA )
1975 : K. Heddy , B. Brown , J. Sterkel , K. Peyton (USA )
1979 : S. Elkins , T. Caulkins , J. Sterkel , C. Woodhead (USA )
1983 : J. Sterkel , D. Torres , M. Wayte , C. Steinseifer (USA )
1987 : K. Coffin , J. Thompson , S. Linke , C. Steinseifer (USA )
1991 : M. Oesting , S. Buckovich , L. Jacob , A. Tappin (USA )
1995 : A. Martino , A. Van Dyken , L. Farella , C. Teuscher (USA )
1999 : J. Deglau , M. Limpert , S. Evanetz , L. Nicholls (CAN )
2003 : A. Weir , C. Swindle , C. Lanne , C. Shealy (USA )
2007 : J. Smit , S. Woodward , E. Kukors , M. Correia (USA )
2011 : M. Kennedy , E. Pelton , A. Kendall , E. Erndl (USA )
2015 : S. Mainville , M. Williams , K. Savard , C. van Landeghem (CAN )
2019 : L. Neal , C. Rasmus , K. Stewart , M. Geer (USA )
2023 : M. Harvey , B. Douthwright , M. Mac Neil , K. Savard (CAN )