Ed Townsend

Robert Edward Townsend, Jr. (born September 13, 1943) is an American attorney and former competition swimmer. He was a Pan American Games gold medalist and former world record-holder.

Early life, family and education

Townsend attended Yale University, where he was a standout swimmer for coach Phil Moriarty's Yale Bulldogs swimming and diving team from 1963 to 1965. He was part of the school's water polo team as well.

He won an NCAA national championship in the 400-yard individual medley (1963), and three more as a member of winning Yale teams in the 400-yard freestyle relay (1963, 1964, 1965).

Townsend graduated from Yale in 1966 with a degree in psychology.

Athletic career after college Townsend won a gold medal as a member of the winning US team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 1963 Pan American Games. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he swam for the gold medal-winning US team in the preliminary heats of the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Under the 1964 Olympic swimming rules, he was ineligible for a medal, however, because he did not swim in the relay final. which specialized in entertainment law.