Medica, Jack C.
Swimming
b. Oct. 5, 1914, Seattle, WA
Swimming for the University of Washington, Medica won NCAA championships in the 220-yard, 440-yard, and 1,500-meter freestyle three years in a row, from 1934 through 1936. His record of nine championships was tied several times before John Naber broke it in 1977.
At the 1936 Olympics, Medica won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle. Trailing Japan's Shumpei Uto most of the way, he put on a burst of speed to take a fingertip-length lead with about 10 yards to go and held on for the victory. Medica also won silver medals in the 1,500-meter freestyle and as a member of the 4 by 200-meter freestyle relay team.
Medica won AAU outdoor championships in the 440-yard and 880-yard freestyle races in 1933 and 1934 and was the 1-mile champion in 1934. Indoors, he won the 220-yard freestyle in 1935 and 1936. He retired after the 1936 Olympics and later coached swimming at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.