The International Swimming Hall of Fame
Names 2011 Eleanor Garatti-Saville Grant Recipients

Fort Lauderdale, FL - (November 3) – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) today announced the names of two swimmers and two divers who will receive Eleanor Garatti- Saville Memorial Grants: swimmers Lara Jackson and Marcus Titus, and divers Christina Loukas and Chris Colwill. The Grant was created as a remembrance for ISHOF Honor Swimmer Eleanor Garatti-Saville, a 1928 and 1932 Olympic Gold medalist, as a way to help young Olympic hopefuls achieve their dreams.

“An important mission of ISHOF is to honor the memory and achievements of great swimmers and divers of the past,” said Bruce Wigo, ISHOF’s President/CEO. “I can’t think of a better way to accomplish this than by supporting the Olympic dreams of these young athletes in the name of Eleanor Garatti-Saville.”

About This Year’s Recipients
Lara Jackson, 25, is a graduate of the University of Arizona where she was a four-time NCAA All-American and three-time NCAA Champion. In 2008 Lara barely missed making the 2008 US Olympic Team by one place, finishing a mere 6 hundredths of a second out of making the team. Lara finished first in the 50-meter freestyle at the recent Pan American Games and is coached by ISHOF Honor Swimmer Rick DeMont at Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics.

Marcus Titus, 25, is also a graduate of the University of Arizona where he was a two-year collegiate All-American, finishing second in the 100 yard breaststroke in 2008. Marcus finished fourth in the 100m breaststroke at the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships and at the 2011 International Deaf Swimming Championships, Marcus was named Swimmer of the Meet after winning five individual gold medals while setting three deaf world records. Marcus most recently won the bronze medal in the 100 meter breaststroke at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Marcus puts this grant in perspective of his career, saying “Swimming has been an integral part of my life, allowing me to grow and gain confidence in myself. I am continually inspired and encouraged to push myself further to break the mental and physical barriers that I must overcome to be my absolute best. I feel very honored to have my hard work and dedication acknowledged by the Hall of Fame. I would not be able to focus on my love of the sport without the support of this grant, along with the support of my family and friends. Thank you to the Hall of Fame.” Marcus is currently coached by Eric Hansen at Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics.

Christina Loukas, 25, is a graduate of Indiana University where she was an 11 time NCAA Champion, the 2009 NCAA Diver of the Year and was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. She dives for the Woodlands Diving Academy in the Woodlands, Texas where she is 2/1 coached by Ken Armstrong. “I am honored to be part of this great group of exceptional athletes receiving these grants” stated Christina. “This grant will aid in my training outside of the pool to help me take my diving to the next level.”

Chris Colwill, 27, is a graduate of the University of Georgia where he was the 2006 NCAA Diver of the Year. He is a nine-time National Champion and nine-time member of USA National Diving Team and was a member of the 2008 USA Olympic Diving Team, narrowly missing the bronze medal with his fourth place finish in the 3-meter synchronized event and fifth place in 3-meter springboard. “This grant will contribute in a very big way to reaching my ultimate goal of competing and winning a medal at the 2012 Olympic” said Chris. “I was so close to medaling in 2008 for Team USA which makes me want to try again, and this support can help to make the difference. Thanks to the Hall of Fame for giving me this chance.” Chris dives for the Georgia Dive Club where he is coached by Dan Laak.

About Eleanor Garatti-Saville
Eleanor was the first woman 100-meter sprinter to medal in two successive Olympic Games, a feat next accomplished by Australia’s great Dawn Fraser at the 1956, 1960 (and 1964) Olympic Games. Like the USA’s Jenny Thompson, Eleanor was noted as a great relay swimmer and was the only repeat swimmer on America’s Olympic gold medal winning 4 x 100m freestyle relay teams of 1928 and 1932. Her Olympic splits were the fasted of the Games both years. She also won four U.S. National Sprint Championships between 1925 and 1929. Eleanor married in 1929, but at a time when a wife's role was in the home she continued swimming. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1992. If you would like to contribute to the fund, please call Bruce Wigo at 954-462-6536 ext. 201.

About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame, Inc. (ISHOF), established in 1965, is a membership based, not-for-profit, educational organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ISHOF’s museum is an informational resource that preserves the history of swimming, recognizes excellence and inspires everyone to adopt healthy lifestyles through participation in aquatic recreational and/or competitive sports. For more information visit http://www.ishof.org