Farid Simaika

Farid Simaika ( 12 June 1907 – 11 September 1943) was an Olympic diver who competed for Egypt.

Early life

Simaika was born on 12 June 1907 in Alexandria

Marriages Simaika married Mabel Van Den Akker, Hollywood society girl and daughter of a wealthy Hollywood jeweler in Hollywood on 11 February 1929. They divorced in 1931. In 1935, aged 27, Simaika married Betty J. Wilson. When Simaika and Wilson filed an intention to wed notice, the marriage license bureau initially refused to grant them a marriage license because of doubt whether Simaika was “an Egyptian or a Caucasian”. Existing California laws at the time prevented Caucasians from marrying “those of another race”. After consulting experts, the county counsel's office in Los Angeles (California) ruled on 26 April 1935 that “an Egyptian is of the Caucasian race” and that “Egyptians were of the Hamitic and Semitic branch of the Caucasian race”, thereby removing the racial barrier to their marriage.

War service and death In March 1942 Simaika received American citizenship,

Simaika was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and was promoted in rank to First lieutenant. In 1982 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.