Keena Rothhammer

Who is Keena Rothhammer?

Keena Ruth Rothhammer is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

Rothhammer was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and she was raised in a Jewish family. As a teenager she trained with the Santa Clara Swim Club in Santa Clara, California, under the coach George Haines, who was noted for leading U.S. Olympic swimmers during the 1960s and 1970s.

As a 15-year-old, Rothhammer represented the United States at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. She won the gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle and set a new world record in the event twice, on successive days. She also won the bronze medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle at the 1972 Olympics. At the 1973 World Aquatics Championships, she won the 200-meter freestyle and finished second in the 400-meter freestyle. The same year, she was named North American Athlete of the Year.

She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1991.