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Bob Skelton

Ralph Breyer, Bob Skelton, Johnny Weissmuller, c. 1925
Personal information
Full name	Robert Danforth Skelton
National team	United States
Born	(1903-06-25)June 25, 1903 Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 25, 1977(1977-06-25) (aged 74) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke
Club	Illinois Athletic Club
College team	Northwestern University
Coach	Bill Bachrach (IAC) Tom Robinson (Northwestern)
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the United States Olympic Games 1924 Paris 200 m breaststroke

Robert Danforth Skelton (June 25, 1903 – June 25, 1977) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.

Biography

Skelton was born in Wilmette, Illinois. Beginning in the Fall of 1922, Skelton attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he swam for the Northwestern Wildcats swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Robinson. By 1922, excelling in distance events, Skelton held world records in the 200 and 440 yard events. In outdoor competition, he held records in 200 and 400-meter swim.

Skelton competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he won a gold medal in the men's 200-meter breaststroke event. Skelton finished in 2:56.6, decisively defeating Belgian swimmer Joseph De Combe (2:59.2), and fellow American Bill Kirschbaum (3:01.0). He was the first American to set a world record for the 200-meter breaststroke.

Skelton died in Houston, Texas in 1977; he was 74 years old.

See also

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Northwestern University alumni
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 200 metres breaststroke

References

1. "Bob Skelton". Olympedia. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
2. "International Swimming Hall of Fame, Bob Skelton". ishof.org. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
3. "Over Thirty to Be in Contests", Kenosha News, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 6 December 1922, pg. 17

Sources

• Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Bob Skelton". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
• Robert Skelton (USA) – Honor Pioneer Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame

v t e 1924 USA Olympic swimming team
Men's Team	Ralph Breyer Harry Glancy Dick Howell Duke Kahanamoku Samuel Kahanamoku Warren Kealoha Bill Kirschbaum Henry Luning Wally O'Connor Bob Skelton Adam Smith Lester Smith Johnny Weissmuller Paul Wyatt
Women's Team	Sybil Bauer Florence Chambers Eleanor Coleman Euphrasia Donnelly Gertrude Ederle Agnes Geraghty Ethel Lackie Martha Norelius Aileen Riggin Matilda Scheurich Helen Wainwright Mariechen Wehselau

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• 1903 births
• 1977 deaths
• People from Wilmette, Illinois
• American male breaststroke swimmers
• World record setters in swimming
• Northwestern Wildcats men's swimmers
• Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming
• Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics
• 20th-century American sportsmen
• American swimming Olympic medalist stubs