Bowman, Peirsol, Muffat Head 16 Names In Stellar ISHOF Class of 2016

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) has announced a 16-member Class of 2016, who will be honored next summer at the ISHOF Annual Honors Weekend.

The list includes some heavy hitters, among them U.S. Olympic coach Bob Bowman, world record-holder Aaron Peirsol and French Olympian Camille Muffat, who was tragically killed in a helicopter crash earlier this year.

Some other swimming names on the list: Russian Olympic open water champion Larisa Ilchenko and age-defying 5-time Olympian Dara Torres, who made the 2008 U.S. Olympic team at age 41, making her the oldest Olympic swimmer in American history.

The full class, per a press release from ISHOF:

“The ISHOF Class of 2016 includes Swimmers Larisa Ilchenko (RUS), Aaron Peirsol (USA), Camille Muffat (FRA) and Dara Torres (USA); Divers Dmitry Sautin (RUS) and Guo Jingjing (CHN); Synchronized Swimmer Yelena Azarova (RUS); Water Polo Players: Seven members of the 2000-2008 Hungarian Olympic water polo team (HUN); Marathon Swim- 1/7 mers Desmond Robert “Des” Renford (AUS) and Monique Wildschut (NED); Swimming Coach Bob Bowman (USA); Contributor Sir Peter Heatly (GBR); Pioneers Simeon Boychenko (RUS), Horst Gorlitz (GRD/ITA/FRG), Frank Gorman (USA), Hilda James (GBR) and Leonid Meshkov (RUS).”

The group will be honored in Santa Clara, California next summer at the 52nd Annual ISHOF Honors Weekend.

The full ISHOF press release is below:

FORT LAUDERDALE – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), recognized by FINA, the international governing body for the Olympic aquatic sports, has announced the names of 16 athletes, coaches, contributors, pioneers and one team – representing six aquatic disciplines (swimming, open water swimming, marathon swimming, synchronized swimming, diving and water polo) from eleven different nations, who will be honored during ISHOF’s 52nd Annual Honors Weekend, June 3-5, 2016, in Santa Clara, California.

“This is an exceptional class of honorees,” said Camillo Cametti, of Verona, Italy, Chairman of ISHOF’s International Selection Committee, “and one of the largest classes in recent years. It will also mark the first time in ISHOF’s history that we will recognize an entire team in the sport of water polo, but what a team – the three-peat Olympic champions from Hungary. This class also includes many stars well known in their own countries and around the world, and five pioneers, who have long been overlooked for their accomplishments.”

“This is truly a great class and I want to personally congratulate all Honorees and thank Mr. Cametti and the selection committee for their commitment to honor the best in our sports,” said Donna de Varona, ISHOF’s Chairman of the Board. “We recognize that this was a difficult task, particularly this year, as the committee started with over 175 nominees from all over the world and many exceptional candidates did not make the final list.”

The ISHOF Class of 2016 includes Swimmers Larisa Ilchenko (RUS), Aaron Peirsol (USA), Camille Muffat (FRA) and Dara Torres (USA); Divers Dmitry Sautin (RUS) and Guo Jingjing (CHN); Synchronized Swimmer Yelena Azarova (RUS); Water Polo Players: Seven members of the 2000-2008 Hungarian Olympic water polo team (HUN); Marathon Swim- 1/7 mers Desmond Robert “Des” Renford (AUS) and Monique Wildschut (NED); Swimming Coach Bob Bowman (USA); Contributor Sir Peter Heatly (GBR); Pioneers Simeon Boychenko (RUS), Horst Gorlitz (GRD/ITA/FRG), Frank Gorman (USA), Hilda James (GBR) and Leonid Meshkov (RUS).