John Mykkanen

John Cary Mykkanen (born September 8, 1966) is an American former competition swimmer who swam for the Irvine Novaquatics and the University of California at Berkeley and won the silver medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle event at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. He later worked as a chiropractor in Orange County, California.

Early life and swimming Mykkanen was born in Irvine, California, on September 8, 1966, and started swimming at the age of 5 at the Placentia YMCA. Anticipating the Olympic trials as a Senior in 1984, Mykkanen swam seven days a week, with a ninety minute workout in the morning and a 2 1/2 hour workout in the evening Monday through Friday.

Mykkanen also trained intensely with the Irvine Novaquatics, an exceptional program where he was directed by International Swimming Hall of Fame Coach Flip Darr. In the summer of his Senior year, he swam a 3:58.83 in the 400-meter freestyle, taking first place at the Industry Hills World Invitational Swimming Meet on July 23, 1984.

1984 L.A. Olympic Silver Rated in the top five in the world in both events, Mykkanen tried out for the 400 and 1500-meter freestyle at the June–July 1984 Olympic trials in Indianapolis.

After graduating from High School, Mykkanen won the Silver medal in the 1984 Olympics Men's 400-meter finals with a time of 3:51.49. At 17, Mykannen was the youngest male swimmer on the U.S. Olympic team that year. The top three swimmers for Mykkanen's 400-meter free had an extremely close finish. Mykkanen finished a close second to George DiCarlo who took the gold with a time of 3:51.23, only around a quarter of a second before Mykkanen. Justin Lemberg of Australia, who placed third taking the bronze, finished only .3 seconds behind Mykannen.

Mykkanen set the American record for the 800-meter freestyle of 7:58.24 on August 4, 1986.

Mykkanen tried out for the 1988 Olympic trials in Austin, Texas in the 200-meter freestyle but placed 18th with a time of 1:51.14, and did not make the team.

University of California at Berkeley After the Olympics, he enrolled at University of California at Berkeley under International Swimming Hall of Fame head coach Nort Thornton from around 1984-1988, and swam with the team. Coach Thornton pioneered recruitment of international athletes, and was known for embracing new technology and methodologies. The U. Cal Berkeley team won NCAA Championships in 1979 and 1980, prior to Mykkanen's enrollment, though they continued to be rated in the top ten most years under Thornton's tenure. At the U.S. Swimming Championships on August 4, 1986, in Santa Clara California, Mykkanen placed second in the 800 freestyle with 8:03.1, in a close race with South African Gary Brinkman who took first, despite Mykkanen having held the American record in the event two years earlier.

Later life Mykkanen later became an Orange County, California chiropractor in Tustin, California. His wife Joanna, also a U. Cal Berkeley graduate, and former swimmer, has coached developmental swimmers at Irvine Novaquatics and John has spent some time as an Assistant Coach. Three of Mykkanen's children have swum with Novaquatics, including his daughter, Courtney, an outstanding swimmer who participated at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and the 2012 US Olympic Trials, and was an accomplished swimmer for U. Cal Berkeley.