[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING ADOLPH KIEFER OF WADSWORTH

  (Mr. HULTGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the ``Father of 
Swimming,'' Adolph Kiefer, from Wadsworth, Illinois.
  At age 17, Adolph became the 100-meter gold medal winner at the 1936 
Berlin Olympics. In addition to earning 17 world records, Adolph was 
the first man in the world to swim the 100-yard backstroke in under a 
minute and invented a flip turn, still used today.
  In 1947, Adolph founded his own company, inventing the first plastic 
kickboard and the first nylon swimsuit. Yet, he has considered teaching 
others his greatest success.
  Upon joining the Navy, Adolph was shocked to learn many of his 
comrades couldn't swim. He designed a program to teach millions of 
recruits what he dubbed the victory backstroke.
  As a youth fitness advocate, he served the Red Cross for 25 years, 
coordinating the learn-to-swim campaign for Chicago and overseeing 
lessons for thousands of children.
  Mr. Kiefer just celebrated his 97th birthday and still swims every 
day.
  I have submitted a letter of support for Mr. Kiefer for the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom. I urge our country to honor a great man 
from Illinois' 14th Congressional District.

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