Born: 1963 (Winona, Minnesota).
Biography:
Tracy Anne Stockwell, OAM, (born January 11, 1963), née Tracy Anne Caulkins, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, and former world record-holder in three events. Caulkins was noted for her versatility and ability in all four major competitive swimming strokes: the butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke, and freestyle.
Caulkins won forty-eight national championships and set American records in all four strokes over a range of distances as well as in the individual medley (IM) events, which combine all four strokes over the course of a single race. Her versatility brought Caulkins many titles and awards, and as a result, she is considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time. By the time she retired from competitive swimming in 1984, Caulkins had set five world records and sixty-three American records (more than any other American swimmer, male or female).
Early years:
Caulkins was born in Winona, Minnesota in 1963. She swam for the Westside Victory Swim club and later the Nashville Aquatic Club (NAC) in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was trained by future University of Texas and U.S. Olympic coach Paul Bergen. For her high school education, she attended the all-girls Harpeth Hall School in Nashville. Caulkins’ older sister Amy was also a competition swimmer and water polo player.
Olympic desire:
As a 9-year-old, Caulkins had been training as a swimmer for a little over a year when she watched the 1972 Munich Olympics on television, and decided that she wanted to swim in the Olympics and win a gold medal. In a 1997 interview, Caulkins credited her Olympic dream as her inspiration and motivation.
Success in Swimming:
Thirteen-year-old Caulkins competed in her first U.S. national swimming championships in 1976. A year later, she returned to the 1977 U.S. Short-Course Championships to set U.S. records in the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley events. She set a third U.S. record while finishing second behind Canadian swimmer Robin Corsiglia in the 100-yard breaststroke.
At the age of 15, Caulkins won five gold medals and a silver medal at the 1978 World Championships in West Berlin. She won the 200-meter individual medley, the 400-meter individual medley, and the 200-meter butterfly, and was a member of the winning U.S. teams in the 4×100-meter medley relay and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In the process, she set four world records and one American record.
Largely as a result of her performance in Berlin, Caulkins won the 1978 James E. Sullivan Award, given by the Amateur Athletic Union in recognition of the most outstanding American amateur athlete of the year. At 15 years old, she was the youngest-ever recipient of the Sullivan Award.
In 1980, Caulkins qualified for the U.S. Olympic swim team for the Moscow Olympics. However, due to the United States’ boycott of the games, she was unable to compete. This was a significant disappointment for Caulkins, as she had been training and preparing for the Olympics for many years.
Caulkins returned to the international stage at the 1981 World Aquatics Championships in Ecuador, where she won three gold medals and one silver medal. She continued to dominate in the individual medley events, showcasing her versatility and skill in all four swimming strokes.
Retirement and Legacy:
Tracy Caulkins retired from competitive swimming in 1984, having achieved incredible success and leaving a lasting impact on the sport. Her accomplishments include three Olympic gold medals, five world championships, and numerous American and world records. Caulkins’ versatility and proficiency in all four strokes set her apart from her competitors and solidified her status as one of the greatest swimmers in history.
In addition to her individual success, Caulkins was known for her positive sportsmanship and dedication to her team. She was a respected leader and role model for younger swimmers, inspiring them to pursue excellence in the pool.
Caulkins’ impact on women’s sports cannot be understated. Her achievements shattered stereotypes about what women are capable of in the world of swimming. She paved the way for future generations of female swimmers, proving that women can excel in any stroke and compete at the highest level. Caulkins’ legacy continues to inspire and empower aspiring female swimmers around the world.
Awards:
– 1978 James E. Sullivan Award (Youngest-ever recipient)
– Olympic Gold Medals (3)
– World Championships Gold Medals (5)
– Numerous American and World Records