ARLINGTON – Former UT Arlington National Champion swimmer and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Doug Russell has been nominated for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (TSHOF).
Winner of the first-ever men's 100-meter butterfly in the Olympics in stunning fashion over favorite Mark Spitz, 1970 UTA graduate Russell is featured on the Veterans Ballot for induction into the 2023 TSHOF Class.
Official voting for induction will begin this Friday, July 15, and end on Monday, Aug. 15. To become a voting member,
visit the TSHOF website.
This year's list of nominees includes professional athletes, Olympians, coaches, administrators and for the first time a nominee in the professional wrestling category. A maximum of 10 will be selected by voters for induction to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame next spring.
Click here to view the complete list of nominees.
Born in New York City but raised in Midland, Russell competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, winning the aforementioned 100-meter butterfly in come-from-behind fashion to become the first true Texan to claim an individual Olympic Gold in swimming.
His second Gold came as part of the 4x100-meter medley relay, swimming the butterfly leg and setting a world record at the time in the event. That was one of three different events during his career at one juncture in which Russell was a world record holder.
While at UTA, Russell was a 1968 NCAA National Champion in both the 100-yard butterfly and 400-yard medley relay. Russell was twice named an All-American during his time at UTA, and is a member of UTA Athletics Hall of Honor, being inducted as part of the 1985 Class.
Russell – namesake of Doug Russell Park on campus – was induced into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1985, and is also a member of the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame, Midland High School Hall of Honor and Phi Delta Theta Sports Hall of Fame.
The 2023 Texas Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will take place in Waco on Apr. 15, 2023. The official 2023 Class announcement and ticket sales will be released at a later date.
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