John Kinsella (swimmer)
Kinsella around age 20, in Hinsdale warmup, 1972 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Pitann Kinsella |
| National team | United States |
| Born | August 26, 1952 Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 201 lb (91 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle |
| Club | Hinsdale Swim Club |
| College team | Indiana University |
| Coach | Doc Counsilman, (Indiana U) Don Watson (Hinsdale Central) |
Medal record | |
John Pitann Kinsella (born August 26, 1952) is an American former competition swimmer for Indiana University, a 1968 Olympic silver, and 1972 Olympic gold medalist, and a former world record-holder in multiple events.
Kinsella was a standout at Illinois swimming powerhouse Hinsdale Central High School in the late 1960s. From 1967-70 greater Chicago's Hindale Central, often aided by Kinsella, won the Illinois State Championships by significant margins. In a unique achievement as a High School Senior in 1970, he became the first person to swim 1,500 meters in under 16 minutes.