Mark Stockwell
Encyclopedia
Marcus William "Mark" Stockwell (born 5 July 1963) is a former Australian sprint freestyle
swimmer
. Stockwell won three medals in freestyle swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
.
Stockwell claimed a silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle behind American
swimmer Rowdy Gaines
after a controversial incident involving the starter. Gaines' coach, Richard Quick
, was aware of starter Frank Silvestri's tendency to pull the trigger immediately as the swimmers mounted the blocks. Gaines managed to gain around a metre's start on the remainder of the unaware field, and this was enough, as he held Stockwell off to claim the gold by 0.44 of a second. Stockwell and the Australian Olympic Federation lodged an official protest, but to no avail.
Stockwell, along with teammates Greg Fasala
, Neil Brooks
and Michael Delany
, picked up another silver medal in the 4x100-metre freestyle relay, just 0.63 of a second behind the world-record-breaking Americans. He also teamed up with Mark Kerry
, Peter Evans
and Glenn Buchanan
, swimming the freestyle leg to win a bronze medal in the 4x100-metre medley relay.
By the time the 1986 Commonwealth Games
were held in Edinburgh
, Stockwell had fallen back from his feats in Los Angeles. He claimed the 100-metre freestyle silver behind Fasala, and a gold in the 4x100-metre relay. It was his last international competition for Australia.
Stockwell attended the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, United States, where he swam for coach Randy Reese
's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) competition in 1985. While attending the university, he dated his future wife, Tracy Caulkins
, who was also a Gator swimmer. Stockwell and Caulkins had met in the warm-up pool at the 1984 Olympics.
He currently lives in Brisbane
, Australia
with his wife, American three-time Olympic gold medalist Tracy Caulkins, and their four children.
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
. Stockwell won three medals in freestyle swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
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...
.
Stockwell claimed a silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle behind American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
swimmer 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...
after a controversial incident involving the starter. Gaines' coach, Richard Quick
Richard Quick
Richard Walter Quick was the head coach of the women's swim team at Stanford University, California, U.S. from 1988 through 2005. He has been a coach for the US Olympic team for six Olympics - 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004...
, was aware of starter Frank Silvestri's tendency to pull the trigger immediately as the swimmers mounted the blocks. Gaines managed to gain around a metre's start on the remainder of the unaware field, and this was enough, as he held Stockwell off to claim the gold by 0.44 of a second. Stockwell and the Australian Olympic Federation lodged an official protest, but to no avail.
Stockwell, along with teammates Greg Fasala
Greg Fasala
Gregory John Fasala was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1980s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics....
, Neil Brooks
Neil Brooks
Neil Brooks is a former Australian sprint freestyle swimmer best known for winning the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow as part of the Quietly Confident Quartet. Brooks was as much known for his swimming achievements as he was for disciplinary incidents...
and Michael Delany
Michael Delany
Michael Delany was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1980s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.Delany was best known for being a member of the so-called Mean Machine...
, picked up another silver medal in the 4x100-metre freestyle relay, just 0.63 of a second behind the world-record-breaking Americans. He also teamed up with Mark Kerry
Mark Kerry
Marcus "Mark" Anthony Kerry is a former Australian backstroke and freestyle swimmer of the 1970s and 1980s, who won three Olympic medals, including a gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as the backstroker for the Quietly Confident Quartet...
, Peter Evans
Peter Evans (swimmer)
Peter Maxwell Evans is a former Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1980s, who won four Olympic medals, most notably a gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as part of the Quietly Confident Quartet...
and Glenn Buchanan
Glenn Buchanan
Glenn Buchanan was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1980s who won two bronze medals in the 100 m butterfly and the 4 × 100 m medley relay, at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics....
, swimming the freestyle leg to win a bronze medal in the 4x100-metre medley relay.
By the time the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
were held in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Stockwell had fallen back from his feats in Los Angeles. He claimed the 100-metre freestyle silver behind Fasala, and a gold in the 4x100-metre relay. It was his last international competition for Australia.
Stockwell attended 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...
, United States, where he swam for 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...
's 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 in 1985. While attending the university, he dated his future wife, Tracy Caulkins
Tracy Caulkins
Tracy Anne Caulkins Stockwell, OAM, is a former American college and international swimmer, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a former world record-holder....
, who was also a Gator swimmer. Stockwell and Caulkins had met in the warm-up pool at the 1984 Olympics.
He currently lives in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with his wife, American three-time Olympic gold medalist Tracy Caulkins, and their four children.
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 University of Florida Olympians