Sammy Lee biography
Sammy Lee, unique identify Samuel Rhee, (born August 1, 1920, Fresno, California, U.S.—died December 2, 2016, Newport Beach, California), American diver, the primary Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal and the primary diver to win consecutive Olympic gold medals within the platform occasion.
While rising up, Lee, the son of Korean immigrants, confronted racial prejudice and was permitted to make use of his neighborhood’s public pool solely someday per week—the day that each one nonwhite kids may swim earlier than the pool was drained and cleaned. As a pupil at Occidental College (Los Angeles), Lee gained nationwide AAU championships in each the 3-metre springboard and 10-metre platform occasions in 1942. Standing solely 5 ft 1 inch (155 cm) tall, Lee utilized his quick stature in his dives, tucking tighter and turning quicker than his opponents.
After graduating from Occidental in 1943, Lee entered the University of Southern California Medical School and briefly retired from diving. However, he returned to competitors in 1946 and once more gained the nationwide AAU championship within the platform occasion. After incomes an M.D. diploma in 1947, Lee joined the U.S. Army, serving within the medical corps through the Korean War.
Lee continued diving, and on the 1948 Olympic Games in London he gained a bronze medal in springboard and carried out an astonishing three and a half ahead somersaults to win the platform occasion. Although he not often competed over the next 4 years, he certified for the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki and as soon as once more took gold within the platform occasion. The following yr Lee retired from aggressive diving.
Lee subsequently targeted on his medical profession, practising as an ear, nostril, and throat specialist. However, he remained concerned in diving, teaching the 1960 U.S. Olympic group and the 1964 Japanese and Korean squads. He additionally skilled gold medalists Bob Webster and Greg Louganis. The recipient of quite a few honours, Lee was awarded the 1953 James E. Sullivan Award for excellent U.S. novice athlete. In addition, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (1968) and into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame (1990). His e book, Diving, was printed in 1979.