Charlie Hickcox

Charles Buchanan Hickcox (February 6, 1947 – June 14, 2010) was an American competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in six events.

Charlie Hickcox

Personal information
Full name	Charles Buchanan Hickcox
Nickname	"Charlie"
National team	United States
Born	(1947-02-06)February 6, 1947 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Died	June 14, 2010(2010-06-14) (aged 63) San Diego, California, U.S.
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	176 lb (80 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, freestyle, individual medley
Club	Bloomington Swim Club
College team	Indiana University
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1968 Mexico City 200 m medley 1968 Mexico City 400 m medley 1968 Mexico City 4x100 m medley 1968 Mexico City 100 m backstroke Pan American Games 1967 Winnipeg 100 m backstroke 1967 Winnipeg 4x200 m freestyle 1967 Winnipeg 200 m backstroke] Universiade 1967 Tokyo 100 m backstroke 1967 Tokyo 200 m backstroke 1967 Tokyo 4x200 m freestyle 1967 Tokyo 4x100 m medley

Career

Hickcox was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He attended Indiana University, and swam for the Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1967 to 1969. He won a total of seven individual NCAA national championships while swimming for Hoosiers coach Doc Counsilman.^[1]

The peak of Hickcox's swimming career occurred between 1967 and 1968 when he set eight world records in the space of sixteen months. He received four medals (three gold and one silver) at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He won gold medals in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley events (setting an Olympic record in the 200-meter), and another gold as a member of the world record-setting U.S. team in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay. He also added a silver medal in the men's 100-meter backstroke.^[2]

Hickcox was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1968, and inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1976.^[3] He was married to Olympic diver Lesley Bush, but they later divorced.

He died from cancer on June 14, 2010, in San Diego at the age of 63.^[4][5]

See also

• Biography portal
• Olympics portal

• List of Indiana University (Bloomington) people
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 100 metres backstroke
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke
• World record progression 200 metres individual medley
• World record progression 400 metres individual medley
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay