Phil Boggs

Phillip ("Phil") George Boggs (December 29, 1949 – July 4, 1990) was a diver from the United States, who won the gold medal in the springboard event at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada.

Born in Akron, Ohio, attorney Phil "Flip" Boggs, the later president of U.S. Diving, was the only diver or swimmer to win gold medals in three consecutive World Championships; the first three held in 1973–1978. He was also the first aquatic athlete to win the prestigious FINA Prize Eminence.

Although Boggs was an accomplished platform diver (1977 U.S. National Champion in 10m tower), he was king of the springboard in the 1970s, retiring only because of a shoulder injury and the political decision not to send a team to the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. During much of this time, Boggs was a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Boggs attended Florida State University and was a law student at the University of Michigan.

In 1985 he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He died of lymphoma in Miami, Florida, in 1990, aged forty.

References

* [http://www.ishof.org/85pboggs.html Profile in ISHOF-site]
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/phil-boggs-1.html sports-reference]
* Wallechinsky, David (2004). "The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics", Toronto: Sport Classic Books. ISBN 1-894963-34-2