Bob Windle - US College Career

US College Career

After the Olympics, Windle enrolled at Indiana University—whose swimming team was coached by Doc Counsilman—on an athletic scholarship. He did so after getting advice from Australian team-mate, Olympic gold medallist and Indiana student Kevin Berry. He studied business while competing for the university, where he switched his focus to shorter sprint distances. Windle did not enjoy as much success at short-course swimming in the United States as he did in long-course swimming. He cited the lack of enjoyment for switching to shorter distances, quipping "Why swim 30 laps for a gold, when you can get one for swimming two laps?" However, Windle enjoyed his time in the United States, approving of the additional emphasis on relays and team spirit and the social life that it entailed. Windle also enjoyed learning from Counsilman, who was regarded as an expert in mechanics, resulting in an improvement in his swimming technique.

Windle's performances in the United States for Indiana earned him selection for the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica. He won the 440 yd freestyle in a world record time of 4 min 15.0 s, but with his focus now on the shorter distances, only managed fourth in the 1650 yd freestyle with a time of 17 min 49.2 s, 4% slower than his personal best for the distance. He won golds in the 4 × 110 yd freestyle relay with Ryan, Dickson and Michael Wenden and the 4 × 220 yd freestyle with Wenden, Dickson and Peter Reynolds. The times of 3 min 35.6 s and 7 min 59.5 s, respectively, were world records.