David Lyons

David Chandler "Dave" Lyons (born January 23, 1943) is an American former competition swimmer and Pan American Games gold medalist who competed for Yale University. He swam in the preliminary round for the U.S. relay squad that won a gold medal in the men's 4x200 freestyle relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Early life Lyons was born January 23, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois. He began his competitive swimming career at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, under Coach Dave Robertson, where he was part of New Trier's national championship team in 1961. One of the most accomplished high school teams of that decade, five New Trier High swimmers held national records. Robertson coached New Trier High between 1946 and 1976. A highly accomplished coach, Robertson's teams at New Trier and later Illinois's Waubonsie Valley High School won fourteen Illinois State titles between 1976 and 1986. Basing his coaching on Roger Bannister's speed in breaking the four-minute mile, Robertson began focusing on interval training, as had Bannister, to make shorter, but more intense practices that would drop his swimmers times.

In international competition, he earned a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 1963 Pan American Games. Under the 1964 Olympic rules he was ineligible to receive a medal, however, because he did not swim in the event final. Fellow Yale swimmer, Don Schollander was the highlight of the 1964 U.S. Olympic swimming team, winning four gold medals in individual freestyle and relay events.

Lyons later earned both M.B.A. and M.D. degrees.

He swam for the Florida Gulf Coast Club with United States Masters Swimming, winning a few events during his years of participation.