David Berkoff
Berkoff (left) | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | David Charles Berkoff |
| Nickname | "Dave" |
| National team | United States |
| Born | November 30, 1966 Abington, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 154 lb (70 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Backstroke |
| Club | Germantown Academy Aquatic Foxcatcher Swim Club Bernal's Gator Swim Club |
| College team | Harvard University 1989 Graduate |
| Coach | Joe Bernal (Harvard) Dick Shoulberg (Germantown, Foxcatcher) |
Medal record | |
David "Dave" Charles Berkoff (born November 30, 1966) is an American former competition Hall of Fame swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. Berkoff was a backstroke specialist who won a total of four medals during his career at the Olympic Games in 1988 and 1992. He is best known for breaking the world record for the 100-meter backstroke three times, beginning at the 1988 Olympic trial preliminaries, becoming the first swimmer to go under 55 seconds for the event. He is also remembered for his powerful underwater backstroke start, the eponymous "Berkoff Blastoff" which after a strong push-off from the side of the pool used a horizontal body position with locked arms outstretched overhead and an undulating or wavelike aerodynamic dolphin kick to provide thrust and build speed.