John Hargis
Encyclopedia
John Hargis is an Olympic gold-medalist swimmer from the USA, and currently is the Head Swimming & Diving Coach at Penn State
. He swam at the 1996 Olympics
, and was part of the gold-medal winning USA 400 Medley Relay team, swimming in the preliminary heats.
with the Arkansas Dolphins swim club based in Little Rock, Arkansas
. His stoke specialties were butterfly and backstroke competing in both the 100 and 200 meter distances as well as competing in other events throughout his club swimming career. After graduating high school Hargis decided to have a collegiate swimming career and chose to attend Auburn University
. While at Auburn, Hargis had several successes ending his collegiate career. He went to the 1996 Olympic Games
for the 100 butterfly and also in a relay as well as in 1997, his senior year, leading his team to its first national championship ever. After Hargis' swimming career ended, he married his current wife, Lauren and had a son John.
100 butterfly
Champion, and a 12-time College All-American. A member of the 1996 Olympic Team and also an Olympic gold medalist in the 4 X 100 Medly Relay. He was captain of 1997 National Championship Swim Team and a member of World Championship
Swim Team in 1998. After his career had ended Hargis was nominated and inducted into Arkansas Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001.
and win the Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly in the time of 53.42 with the world record
at that time set at 52.32 set by Denis Pankratov
. Once at the Games, Hargis qualified for B Finals with a time of 54.06. In the B Final, he swam a time of 54.29 placing him 16th the 1996 Olympic Games. Hargis swam a time of 53.34 in the 100 butterfly on the preliminary 4x100 Medley Relay earning him a gold medal
.
(UNLV) for the 2002-2003 season. After coaching UNLV for a year he went on as an assistant for Penn State University, coaching them to back to back women's Big Ten championships. In November 2006 he moved back to Little Rock, Arkansas to coach his old club team, the Arkansas Dolphins. Shortly thereafter he was made the head coach of the club as well as the head coach of University of Arkansas, Little Rock. In July 2008, Hargis left is club team to go back to Penn State University as the head coach where he is currently working. Although he likes working with all the swimmers at Penn State, on the record he has stated that Max Ettore is his favorite swimmer saying "Max is just awesome, probably the sweetest guy I have ever met and definitely the coolest Jersey Wahoo I know."
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. He swam at the 1996 Olympics
Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The swimming competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, United States, which was built for the Games...
, and was part of the gold-medal winning USA 400 Medley Relay team, swimming in the preliminary heats.
Biography
He began his competitive swimming career early on in life with Coach Paul BlairPaul Blair (swimming)
Paul Barr "Coach" Blair was a swim coach who specialized in sprint training. He was known for the many sprinters he trained to the highest level of swimming competition. Blair was one of the first coaches to emphasize that in order to sprint, you must practice sprinting. In fact, most sprint...
with the Arkansas Dolphins swim club based in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. His stoke specialties were butterfly and backstroke competing in both the 100 and 200 meter distances as well as competing in other events throughout his club swimming career. After graduating high school Hargis decided to have a collegiate swimming career and chose to attend Auburn University
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...
. While at Auburn, Hargis had several successes ending his collegiate career. He went to the 1996 Olympic Games
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...
for the 100 butterfly and also in a relay as well as in 1997, his senior year, leading his team to its first national championship ever. After Hargis' swimming career ended, he married his current wife, Lauren and had a son John.
Achievements
Hargis has had a number of achievements in both his coaching career and his swimming career. He was selected as one of Arkansas's 100 Greatest Athletes, three-time Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
100 butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
Champion, and a 12-time College All-American. A member of the 1996 Olympic Team and also an Olympic gold medalist in the 4 X 100 Medly Relay. He was captain of 1997 National Championship Swim Team and a member of World Championship
World championship
A world championship is the top achievement for any sport or contest. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best nation, team, individual in the world in a particular field. Certain sports do not have a world championship, instead...
Swim Team in 1998. After his career had ended Hargis was nominated and inducted into Arkansas Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001.
Olympics
Hargis qualified for the US Olympic trials in 1996 and went on to compete in the meet at the age of 21 years old. He went into the meet like any other athlete, not a favorite of any sort. He moved on to make finalsFinals
Finals may refer to:* Final , the final stages of a sporting competition* Final examinations, tests given to students at the end of a course of study or training.* Finals , a four-issue comic book mini-series....
and win the Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly in the time of 53.42 with the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
at that time set at 52.32 set by Denis Pankratov
Denis Pankratov
Denis Pankratov is a retired Russian butterfly swimmer of the 1990s, who was best known for winning the butterfly double at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA in a unique style. His 100 m butterfly triumph is particularly remembered for his swimming over 25 m of the first lap...
. Once at the Games, Hargis qualified for B Finals with a time of 54.06. In the B Final, he swam a time of 54.29 placing him 16th the 1996 Olympic Games. Hargis swam a time of 53.34 in the 100 butterfly on the preliminary 4x100 Medley Relay earning him a 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...
.
Coaching
Hargis graduated from Auburn with his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion and Sports Management. From there he began his career as a coach. After college he served as an assistant to the athletic director at Auburn. Then he coached at University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
(UNLV) for the 2002-2003 season. After coaching UNLV for a year he went on as an assistant for Penn State University, coaching them to back to back women's Big Ten championships. In November 2006 he moved back to Little Rock, Arkansas to coach his old club team, the Arkansas Dolphins. Shortly thereafter he was made the head coach of the club as well as the head coach of University of Arkansas, Little Rock. In July 2008, Hargis left is club team to go back to Penn State University as the head coach where he is currently working. Although he likes working with all the swimmers at Penn State, on the record he has stated that Max Ettore is his favorite swimmer saying "Max is just awesome, probably the sweetest guy I have ever met and definitely the coolest Jersey Wahoo I know."