Erika Bricker

Erika Eloise Bricker (born May 23, 1949), also known by her married name Erika Holderith, is an American former competition swimmer, 1964 Olympic participant, and Pan American Games gold medalist.

Bricker was born in Woodland, California on May 23, 1949 to Mr. John Bricker and Mrs. Sepi Bricker. Her father was a swim coach at the College of the Sequoias, and her brother Bruce was a Junior College All America swimmer. She attended Mount Whitney High School in Visalia, and began serious competition at age 13.

While swimming for Mount Whitney High School, she won the San Joaquin Valley titles in the 100-yard freestyle, and individual medley as a Freshman, and helped bring her team to the championship by capturing first place in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events as a Sophomore. She was ranked ninth in the 100-meter in 1964, and in 1965 was ranked eighth with a time of 1:02.2. She trained with the City of Commerce swimming team under Hall of Fame Coach Don Gambril in her Junior year with Olympians Sharon Stouder and Patty Caretto. In 1966, she swam with the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

1964 Tokyo Olympics At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Bricker represented the United States as a 15-year-old high school student. She was managed at the Olympics by 1964 U.S. Women's Olympic Head Swimming Coach Peter Daland and swam for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, but did not receive a medal. Under the rules in effect in 1964, only those relay swimmers who competed in the event final were eligible to receive medals.

In April, 1966, she swam a 53.8 in the 100-yard freestyle, placing second to Martha Randall at the AAU Indoor Championships.

In 1967, she won the AAU indoor title in the 100 freestyle. She previously swam the 100-meter in a preliminary heat in :59.9 becoming only the fourth woman to break the minute for the 100.

As Erika Holderith, she later settled in Asheville, North Carolina.

Honors She was inducted into Visalia California's Heritage Court Pillars of Fame in 2007, a Hall of Fame for athletes at Riverway Sports Park .