Dick Roth

Richard William Roth (September 26, 1947 – September 23, 2025) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and world record holder in two events - the long course 200 m and 400 m individual medley.

High school swimming Roth set his first age group record in swimming at age 12. In high school he swam for Menlo-Atherton where he won eight Southern Pacific Athletic League High School Conference titles under Coach Robert K. Gaughran, a former swim team captain and water polo player at College of the Pacific (and younger brother of Roth's Hall of Fame Stanford swim coach Jim Gaughran). Roth also served as high school student body president and was on the baseball and water polo teams.

While in high school he also swam for the Santa Clara Swim Club under Hall of Fame coach George Haines.

Dick was also the older brother of swimmer Don Roth, who was US national champion.

1964 Olympic Gold In October 1964, Roth swam in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the gold medal for his first-place finish in the men's 400-meter individual medley, setting a new world record of 4:45.4 in the event final. Roth came from behind in the last 50 meters, exciting the Tokyo crowd, and finishing only a few feet ahead of the second place finisher.

International competition In March 1965 Roth was diagnosed with severe tendinitis in his arms and shoulders, likely brought on by the demanding mechanics of the individual medley. He was unable to defend his American records in the 200 and 400 Individual Medley events at the AAU Nationals the following month in New Haven, Connecticut.

Fully recovered from his previous tendonitis, Roth won two golds in the 1965 Summer Universiade in August in Budapest, Hungary, one in the 400-meter individual medley, and one in the 4x 200-meter freestyle relay.

College swimming While swimming for Stanford University, he was a two-time individual NCAA champion, winning the 200- and 400-yard individual medley. Roth's Stanford Coach Jim Gaughran had also been a Medley swimmer at Stanford, and his knowledge of diverse stroke mechanics may have helped him mentor Roth.

Dick did not swim all four years at Stanford and retired from his competitive swimming career at 19. He graduated in 1969.

Honors In 1965, Roth received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World,

Death Roth died on September 23, 2025, aged 77.