James Paul Montgomery (born January 24, 1955) is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1986 as an Honor Swimmer, Montgomery was the first man to break the 50-second barrier (49.99) in the 100-meter freestyle. He broke the record at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, where he won three gold medals and one bronze medal.
Montgomery achieved international attention at the first World Championships in 1973, where he won 5 gold medals in freestyle events. From Yugoslavia, Montgomery went to Indiana University, swam for Doc Counsilman for four years, with the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games taking place between his junior and senior years.
He now coaches varsity swimming at the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas. He also is the owner and founder of the Dallas Aquatic Masters club team and in 2002 was named USMS Coach of the Year.
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“Just kids! That’s about the craziest argument I’ve ever heard. Every criminal in the world was a kid once. What does it prove?”
—Theodore Simonson. Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.. Jim Bird, The Blob, responding to the suggestion that they not lock up the teens pulling the alien “prank,” (1958)
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—Alexander Montgomery (1540?–1610?)