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George Breen

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George Breen
Personal information
Full nameGeorge Thomas Breen
National team United States
Born(1935-07-19)July 19, 1935
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
DiedNovember 9, 2019(2019-11-09) (aged 84)
Washington Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight183 lb (83 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubIndianapolis Athletic Club
College teamCortland State University
CoachDoc Counsilman
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1956 Melbourne 4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1956 Melbourne 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1956 Melbourne 1500 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1960 Rome 1500 m freestyle
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1959 Chicago 400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1959 Chicago 1500 m freestyle
Representing Cortland State
NCAA
Gold medal – first place 1956 Ann Arbor 1,500 meter freestyle

George Thomas Breen (July 19, 1935 – November 9, 2019) was an American Hall of Fame competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist in freestyle events, and world record-holder in three events. After retiring as a swimmer, he became a swim coach at the University of Pennsylvania and later the Jersey Wahoos Swim Club.[1][2]

Background

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Breen was born in Buffalo, New York. He was a champion rower for Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, and the West Side Rowing Club. He began swimming competitively as a 17-year-old freshman at Cortland State University under Hall of Fame Coach Doc Counsilman, almost a decade later than many of his future rivals.[1]

1500-meter world record

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Many consider Breen's most significant single swim time, and greatest single effort, his 1500-meter Long Course World Record of 18:05.9 at the May 3, 1956 U.S. AAU Indoor Championship at Yale, referred to by Ohio State Coach Mike Peppe as “the single most brilliant effort in swimming since I’ve been coaching.” Breen reduced the standing world record by a substantial 13.1 seconds, and incredibly completed his swim a full 1:18, ahead of the second-place finisher, Frank Brunell, who had been an American National Champion many times. No prior swimmer had ever completed an event so far ahead of the second-place finisher in the history of the U.S. Nationals.[1]

World competitor

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Olympics

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Breen represented the United States at the November 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. As a member of the second-place U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay, Breen earned a silver medal, together with Dick Hanley, Bill Woolsey and Ford Konno. He also took bronze medals in the 400-meter freestyle (4:32.5) and men's 1,500-meter freestyle (18:08.2) – after setting a new world record of 17:52.9 in the qualifying heats of the 1,500.[1][2]

Pan American Games

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At the 1959 Pan American Games, he won a gold medal for his first-place finish in the 400-meter freestyle and a silver as the runner-up in the 1500-meter freestyle. He was elected team captain of the U.S. men for the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and earned another bronze medal while competing in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle (17:55.9).[1]

Coaching

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Breen coached the Penn Quakers men's swimming team at the University of Pennsylvania from 1966 until 1982, and served as a coach for U.S. Swimming. He formerly coached for Gloucester County Institute of Technology (Deptford, New Jersey) swim team (now separate from the school, it is known as the Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club) and at the Jersey Wahoos Swim Club in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.[2][1]

Swimming community

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He was active in swimming administration, and chaired the USA Swimming Olympic International Operations Committee. He was a member of Middle Atlantic Swimming’s Board of Directors, and also served on the Board of Directors of USA Swimming.[1]

Breen was inducted into the International Swim Hall of Fame, the American Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the Cortland State Hall of Fame.[1]

Later life and death

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Breen was a resident of Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, where he coached local high school and club swim teams into his 70s.[3] He was diagnosed with bone cancer of his right middle finger and had to have it amputated. After battling pancreatic cancer for several years, Breen died on November 9, 2019, in New Jersey.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "George Breen, International Swimming Hall of Fame". International Swimming Hall of Fame. 1975. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Olympic Biography, George Breen". Olympedia. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Pawling, Chris. "Swimming legend George Breen pays visit to local meet", South Jersey Times, January 30, 2012. Accessed November 30, 2017. "Washington Township resident George Breen was in attendance at Saturday’s SJISA Coaches’ Invitational swim meet at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology."
  4. ^ "George Breen, a Four-Time Olympic Medalist, Dies After Cancer Battle". Swimming World News. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
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Records
Preceded by Men's 1,500-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
May 3, 1956 – October 30, 1956 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Men's 1,500-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
December 5, 1956 – February 22, 1958 		Succeeded by


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