Tom Bruce, a 1972 Olympic gold medalist in swimming, died on April 9th after a 10-month battle with cancer. He was 67-years old.
Bruce won a gold medal as part of the winning American 400 medley relay at the 1972 Olympic Games and added an individual silver in the 100 breaststroke.
Bruce grew up in California, where he attended Marian A. Peterson High School in Sunnyvale. He went on to swim at UCLA where he was the 1972 NCAA Champion in the 100 yard breaststroke, setting an NCAA Championship Record in 56.998. He was the first swimmer to go sub-57 seconds in the event at an NCAA Championship meet. UCLA finished 4th as a team that year.
That same season, at the 1972 Olympic Games, Bruce swam in the finals of the 400 medley relay along with backstroker Mike Stamm, butterflier Mark Spitz, and freestyle Jerry Heidenreich. The group finished in a new World Record time of 3:48.16 that stood until it was broken by a new American relay in prelims of the 1976 Olympics. The win was part of a record-setting 7 Olympic gold medal winning effort for Mark Spitz at those Olympics.
Bruce is preceded in death by another member of that relay, Jerry Heidenreich, who died in 2002 at age 52.
Watch a Video of that gold medal race here:
After his swimming career ended, Bruce became a facilities director at a hospital.
A celebration of life for Bruce will be held when it is safe to gather amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
An excellent article on Jerry Heidenreich in the Chicago Tribune shortly after his death ( via suicide ) . Lots to learn there.
Jerry’s father played a major role in his spiraling down if I remember correctly. Never let him forget that Spitz beat him and therefore was a failure. Wow…..went home from Munich with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal from the Olympic Games and he was a failure in his father’s eyes? Horrible to think about……I hope you have found peace, Jerry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uXuXyZy4qE
Men’s 400 medley relay final with Tom swimming breast for USA.
Tom’s silver medal and then gold medal was a complete surprise as he usually finished as the second or third American in Nationals or Trials. He was the first American in Munich thereby earning his spot on the medley for finals. It is shocking to read of his passing. My heart goes out to his friends and family.