Warren Kealoha

Warren Daniels Kealoha (March 3, 1903 – September 8, 1972) was an American competition swimmer who was an Olympic gold medalist in the 100 backstroke at both 1920 Antwerp and 1924 Paris Olympics and a world record-holder. Kealoha had the distinction of being one of the first athletes to win gold medals in backstroke in consecutive Olympics. As an innovator, he also was noted for being one of the first back strokers to use the flutter kick and an arm stroke with alternate over the head arm entry in elite competition.

Early life Kealoha was born in Kakaako in greater Honolulu on March 3, 1903. Kealoha may have done some of his early training in Honolulu Harbor, but large pools such as the Punahou School "tank" pool, the Elizabeth Waterhouse Memorial Tank opened in 1922, and the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium opened in 1927, were available in greater Honolulu for training. 1920 freestyle silver medalist Ludy Langer, who swam for Harvey Chilton's rival Hui Nalu Club, was a contemporary of Kealoha.

Education Kealoha attended greater Honolulu's Punahou School, which had one of the area's earliest pools, and greater Honolulu's St. Louis College, now known as St. Louis School. St. Louis College, prior to 1920, when Kealoha likely attended, was more a preparatory school than a degree-granting University. Film star Buster Crabbe, who grew up in Hawaii, and competed during Kealoha's later swimming career, graduated the Punahou School, and won a bronze medal in the 1500 meter swim at the 1928 Olympics.

He won the 100-meter backstroke again at 1924 Paris Olympics with a time of 1:13.2. Kealoha was known for being one of the first backstroke swimmers to use the overhead stroke, and was one of the first backstrokers to win in consecutive Olympics. During his career, Kealoha set four world records, first at the 1920 Olympics and last in Honolulu in 1926, which was beaten the next day by Walter Laufer. Kealoha's best-known Hawaiian Olympic teammate who competed for the U.S. in both the 1920 and 1924 Olympics was Duke Kahanamoku, and film star Johnny Weismuller was a 1924 U.S. Olympic teammate who won three gold medals in freestyle events that year.

Kealoha married Eleanor Elvira Ribeiro at 2:00 pm on July 22, 1922 in greater Honolulu, spending their honeymoon at the Volcano of Kilauea in Hilo, Hawaii. The couple had children together, though they divorced and Eleanor later remarried.

Post swimming life After retiring from swimming, Kealoha became a rancher. He was known for avoiding publicity and enjoying his privacy, and become less widely known after his swimming retirement.