Carl Robie

Carl Joseph Robie III (May 12, 1945 – November 29, 2011) was an American competitive swimmer, who swam for the University of Michigan and was first a silver medalist in the 1964 Olympics, and then a gold medalist in the 1968 Olympics. He was a three-time world record-holder in the 200-meter butterfly, continuing to lower his times from 1961-63. At Bonner High, he was managed by ASCA Hall of Fame Coach Frank Keefe, who had also coached him at the Suburban Swim Club. He led Monsignor Bonner High to its second Catholic Interscholastic Swimming Championship in February 1962 with a 1:53.8 in the 200 freestyle and also won the 200-yard medley. He continued to break world records in the 200-meter butterfly from 1961-63. An exceptional competitor by 17, Robie also held a record for the 200-meter breaststroke at 2:10.8. A highly competitive team, at Peekskill, Robie swam primarily against the Freshman teams of large Eastern Colleges, despite frequently being younger than their opponents. After his Junior year at Peekskill was completed, Robie trained with Hall of Famer George Breen, a 1960 Olympic bronze medalist in the 1500m, who had just been hired by Vespar Boat Club. In the summer after his Junior year, having enough credits, he made the decision to skip his Senior year at Peekskill. He and his Vespar Swim Club coach George Breen gave a call to Gus Stager, the University of Michigan Swim Coach, about attending and swimming for Michigan. Swimming for Michigan in 1965, his first NCAA championships was in the 400m individual medley and in 1967, his second was in the 200m butterfly. He reset the record to 2:08.8 at the same meet. Swimming for Michigan in March, 1966, he tied for third in the 400-yard individual medley at the Big 10 Swimming Championships in March 1966.

As a Michigan Senior in March, 1967, while Captaining the team, Robie took first place in one of his signature events, the 200-yard butterfly at the Big 10 Championships in East Lansing, Michigan with a time of 1:53.35, though Michigan finished second to Indiana in the overall points scoring.

AAU Championship wins in 200-meter butterfly Robie had an exceptional mastery of the 200-meter butterfly in AAU competition, winning the event in the United States National AAU Outdoor championships in the long course in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1968. At the American National AAU Indoor short course championships, he won the 200-meter butterfly in 1965 and 1966.

'68 Olympic gold Robie continued to train while at Michigan through 1967, as well as in 1968, during his first year in Law School. Some of his training in 1968 took place at a YMCA, often without the benefit of a coach. Despite having ended his collegiate swimming career, and reached what was considered at the time to be an advanced age of 23 for an Olympian, he co-captained the American swim team, and took the gold medal for winning the men's 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:08.7 at the 1968 Olympics.

Adding to the excitement of his first-place finish, his 200-meter butterfly qualifying time at the preliminaries in Mexico City was not exceptional, as he was only the fifth fastest swimmer to be selected for the finals. Ironically, the time for his 1968 Olympic gold medal in the butterfly, his crowning achievement, was a second slower than his silver medal time in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for the same event, four years earlier. In 1968, a few American Olympic swimmers may have slightly underperformed due to reactions to Mexican food and the high altitude in Mexico City.

Practicing law After attending Dickinson Law School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania from around 1968-1970, Robie practiced civil trial law in Sarasota, Florida, and specialized in trust and estate litigation. In November 1968, Robie was a nominee for the prestigious Sullivan Award by the Middle Atlantic Athletic Union. The Sullivan Award is presented to each year's most outstanding amateur athlete.

Death Robie died at the age of 66 on November 29, 2011 in Sarasota, Florida. Two of his children also pursued competitive swimming at a high level.