Jed Graef
Jed Richard Graef (born May 1, 1942) is an American former competition swimmer, for Princeton University, a 1964 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter backstroke, and former world record-holder.Graef was greatly influenced by NJSA's Coach Bob Alexander, who focused on high quality, but relatively short workouts, mentored as many as 12 future Olympic participants, and trained his swimmers at Lake Mohawk in North Jersey.[1] In 1960, in the summer after his High School Senior year, he attended the August trials in Dearborn, Michigan for the Rome Olympics, but just missed making the U.S. team, swimming a 1:05.1, placing ninth overall, where only the top eight could qualify.[11][16] After performing well in meets as an Undergraduate, but taking many second places in the 200, finally as a Senior Jed won the March 1964 NCAA Championships in the 200-yard backstroke at New Haven, Connecticut establishing a new American collegiate record of 1:56.2, while swimming for Princeton's Hall of Fame Coach Bob Clotworthy.Graef's NCAA collegiate championship in the 200-yard backstroke more clearly identified him as America's potential top swimmer in the event, though he had already been ranked second in the World in the 200-meter by the summer of 1961.Graef later noted that with the American depth in backstroke that year, it was harder finding a spot on the team than to win a medal at the Olympics.Graef was somewhat aided in his quest for the gold, as Tom Stock, the reigning world record holder in the event was ill during the qualifying rounds and did not make the team.Other swimming medalists at the 1964 Olympics that had swum with the New Jersey Athletic Association included Patience Sherman, Thompson Mann, and Phil Riker.
Montclair, New JerseySwimmingBackstrokePrinceton UniversityBob ClotworthyUnited StatesOlympic Games1964 Tokyo200 m backstrokeswimmerPrinceton Tigersmen's 200-meter backstroke1964 Summer OlympicsGary DilleyPatience ShermanThompson MannPhil RikerInternational Swimming Hall of FameList of members of the International Swimming Hall of FameList of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)List of Princeton University peopleList of Princeton University OlympiansWorld record progression 200 metres backstrokeMallon, BillSports Reference LLCWayback Machine1964 USA Olympic swimming teamWayne AndersonMike AustinBob BennettSteve ClarkBill CraigBill FarleyGary IlmanChet JastremskiVirgil LukenDavid LyonsRichard McGeaghBill MettlerJohn NelsonWalter RichardsonPhilip RikerCarl RobieDick RothRoy SaariFred SchmidtDon SchollanderLary SchulhofEd TownsendTom TretheweyMichael WallLynne AllsupErika BrickerDonna de VaronaGinny DuenkelKathy EllisCathy FergusonSharon FinneranCynthia GoyetteJeanne HallockNina HarmerTammy HazletonClaudia KolbSandra NittaSusan PittMarilyn RamenofskyMartha RandallJudy ReederTerri SticklesSharon StouderLillian WatsonJames CounsilmanPeter DalandGeorge HainesErnst HoppenbergRoland MatthesJohn NaberSándor WladárRick CareyIgor PolyanskiyMartin López-ZuberoBrad BridgewaterLenny KrayzelburgAaron PeirsolRyan LochteTyler ClaryRyan MurphyEvgeny RylovHubert Kós