David Larson
Encyclopedia
David Erwin Larson is a former American college and international swimmer who was an Olympic
gold medal
ist.
in 1959. In 1977, he graduated from the Bolles School
in Jacksonville, Florida
.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he swam for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) competition under coach Randy Reese
from 1978 to 1981. Larson won several NCAA championships at Florida in the 800-yard freestyle relay, setting American and NCAA records. He finished second in the 200-yard freestyle to Rowdy Gaines
of Auburn
in 1981, but then out-swam Gaines on the final leg of the 800-yard freestyle relay to claim the NCAA championship in the relay. Larson earned All-American honors in several events and was national record holder in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Larson graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in sociology
in 1987, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
organized the boycott of the Moscow Olympics
in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
. Larson was a favorite to win several medals in 1980. Larson was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Los Angeles, California
and won a gold medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle relay team, beating the favored West German team, anchored by Michael Gross
. Larson was also named to several other U.S. National Swim Teams, representing the United States in international competition.
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ist.
Early years
Larson was born in Jesup, GeorgiaJesup, Georgia
Jesup is a city in Wayne County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,279 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Jesup is located at ....
in 1959. In 1977, he graduated from the Bolles School
Bolles School
The Bolles School is a private college preparatory day and boarding school in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. It has a lower school , a middle school, and a high school, spread across four campuses around the Jacksonville area, and enrolls about 1,800 students a year. The school was founded in 1933 as...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
College career
Larson received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he swam for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) competition under coach Randy Reese
Randy Reese
Randy Reese is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. Reese is best known for coaching the Florida Gators swimming and diving teams to four national championships, and coaching the winners of eighteen Olympic gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals...
from 1978 to 1981. Larson won several NCAA championships at Florida in the 800-yard freestyle relay, setting American and NCAA records. He finished second in the 200-yard freestyle to Rowdy Gaines
Rowdy Gaines
Ambrose Gaines IV is a former American swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, Olympic three-time gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame...
of Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in 1981, but then out-swam Gaines on the final leg of the 800-yard freestyle relay to claim the NCAA championship in the relay. Larson earned All-American honors in several events and was national record holder in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Larson graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in 1987, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
International career
Larson was selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, but was unable to compete because U.S. President Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
organized the boycott of the Moscow Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
. Larson was a favorite to win several medals in 1980. Larson was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Los Angeles, California
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and won a gold medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle relay team, beating the favored West German team, anchored by Michael Gross
Michael Gross (swimmer)
Michael Gross , spelled Michael Groß in German, is a former swimmer from Germany. He is 201 centimeters tall, and received the nickname "The Albatross" due to his especially long arms that gave him a total span of 2.13 meters...
. Larson was also named to several other U.S. National Swim Teams, representing the United States in international competition.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of United States records in swimming
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians