Catherine Fox
Encyclopedia
Catherine Mai Lan Fox is an American swimmer who won two gold medals at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia
.
She is of Vietnamese
and European ethnicity. Her father, Thomas C. Fox (editor and former publisher of the National Catholic Reporter
), worked in Vietnam for International Voluntary Services
from 1966 to 1968, where he met Catherine's mother, To Kim Hoa, a social worker in Can Tho who married Mr. Fox and moved to the United States in 1972.
Fox grew up in Roeland Park, Kansas
, attended high school at Bishop Miege
and graduated from Stanford University
, majoring in human biology and studio art.
Fox competed at the 1995 Pan American Games
and was a member of the gold medal-winning 4x200 freestyle relay team. She made the U.S. Olympic team for the Atlanta Games as a freestyle swimmer, and was a member of two gold-winning relay teams: the 400-meter freestyle (where she swam in the final) and the 400-meter medley (where she swam freestyle in a preliminary heat). Fox won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay, and bronze medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, at the 1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
.
At Stanford, Fox was a 21-time All-American in swimming, a 9-time NCAA champion, and set an American record in the 100-yard backstroke
in 1999 with a time of 52.47 seconds.
In 2006, she was named to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.
She is of Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
and European ethnicity. Her father, Thomas C. Fox (editor and former publisher of the National Catholic Reporter
National Catholic Reporter
The National Catholic Reporter is the second largest Catholic newspaper in the United States; its circulation reaches ninety-seven countries on six continents. Based in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, NCR was founded by Robert Hoyt in 1964 as an independent newspaper focusing on the Catholic Church...
), worked in Vietnam for International Voluntary Services
International Voluntary Services
International Voluntary Services, Inc., was a private nonprofit organization that placed American volunteers in development projects in Third World countries. IVS had volunteers in Algeria, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Laos, Nepal, South Vietnam and other countries...
from 1966 to 1968, where he met Catherine's mother, To Kim Hoa, a social worker in Can Tho who married Mr. Fox and moved to the United States in 1972.
Fox grew up in Roeland Park, Kansas
Roeland Park, Kansas
Roeland Park is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 6,817 at the 2000 census.-History:The City of Roeland Park was originally named after John Roe, an immigrant from Ireland who settled on in 1883, part of which Roeland Park now stands...
, attended high school at Bishop Miege
Bishop Miege High School
Bishop Miege High School is a fully accredited private Catholic high school, located in Roeland Park, Kansas, USA. It is located directly north of the Shawnee Indian Mission. Bishop Miege is one of two private high schools located in Overland Park, KS. The school colors are royal blue and scarlet...
and graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, majoring in human biology and studio art.
Fox competed at the 1995 Pan American Games
1995 Pan American Games
The 12th Pan American Games were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from March 12 to March 26, 1995. After 44 years, this was the Pan American Games first return to the country that hosted the first Games, in 1951.-Overview:...
and was a member of the gold medal-winning 4x200 freestyle relay team. She made the U.S. Olympic team for the Atlanta Games as a freestyle swimmer, and was a member of two gold-winning relay teams: the 400-meter freestyle (where she swam in the final) and the 400-meter medley (where she swam freestyle in a preliminary heat). Fox won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay, and bronze medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, at the 1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
The seventh edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course event, was held in Fukuoka, Japan, from August 10–13, 1997.-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:**...
.
At Stanford, Fox was a 21-time All-American in swimming, a 9-time NCAA champion, and set an American record in the 100-yard backstroke
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
in 1999 with a time of 52.47 seconds.
In 2006, she was named to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
- Yoshinobu OyakawaYoshinobu OyakawaYoshinobu "Yoshi" Oyakawa was a backstroke swimmer from the United States, who won the 100m Backstroke at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He is considered to be the last of the great "straight-arm-pull" backstrokers....
- Asian American gold medalist swimmer at 1952 Olympics in Helsinki