International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame – Selection Criteria

Below are listed the various categories for selection into the International Marathon
Swimming Hall of Fame and the criteria for selection and eligibility considerations.

 Honoree Swimmers
 Pioneer Swimmers
 Administrators (coaches, escorts, officials, organizers and support personnel)
 Certificate of Merit Recipients
 Irving Davids / Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award Recipients

The swimmers or administrators under consideration in all categories should be truly

international in their support and/or conduct of the sport of Marathon Swimming and
should be recognized as world leaders and champions in the sport. They should be the
elite and the world’s finest in their field as either a swimmer or as an administrator.
Those who are considered should be superior to other excellent swimmers and
administrators in the sport.

Honoree Swimmers

There are two types of swimmers who are considered: racers and solo swimmers.

Racers are those swimmers who regularly compete in world-class races. This includes,
but is not limited to, the Olympic Games, FINA World Championships, FINA Grand Prix
and FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup events. Primary consideration is given
to those swimmers winning or having medal performances. Swimmers are usually not
considered until they have retired for eight (8) years from active participation. Because
some swimmers continue swimming for decades, the exception for consideration is the
active swimmer who has competed at the international level for a minimum of ten (10)
years. The racer should participate in a number of events over the years and not on the
basis of a single or record-setting performance. Participation in, and performance, on
relays teams is considered.

Solo Swimmers are those swimmers who swim outside of competition for the purpose of
conquering a body of water. They swim for time or merely to finish. They may swim a
single non-stop event or a series of swims on successive days. Their swims are over
10 kilometers in length and, similar to the Racers, their efforts should extend over a
period of years and not in only one body of water unless the swimmer claims several
swims in the same body of water (e.g., 20 times across the English Channel). One-time
record-setting performances are normally not considered. Participation in, and
performance on, relays teams is considered.

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 International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame – Selection Criteria

Note: Over the years, the marathon distances have been redefined. Initially the distance
was 10 miles, then 25 kilometers, and most recently with the addition of the open water
event to the Olympic program, the distance of a marathon swim for our selection
purposes is now 10 kilometers.

Pioneer Swimmers

These are swimmers of the previous era who made their mark on history over fifty years
ago. They should have basically the same qualifying standards as the modern-day
swimmers. However, some latitude is extended to the number of swims they did, and in
some cases, the distance of the swims because of the conditions that existed at the
time.

Administrators (coaches, escorts, officials, organizers and support personnel)

These are dedicated personnel who assist in various functions to develop the sport of
Marathon Swimming. There are no strict rules or guidelines as to what makes a world
class administrator. It may be the volume of work, longevity or just being at the right
place at the right time. The person who is considered is compared to others in their field
in terms of their individual contributions.

Certificate of Merit Recipients

In 1994, the Selection Committee of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
decided to create a Certificate of Merit to recognize and honor swimmers and major
contributors to Open Water and Marathon Swimming who do not qualify as standard
Honorees.

Because a swimmer must be retired from active participation before considered for
inclusion in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, the swimmer may wait
years before they can be recognized. The Selection Committee felt that a Certificate of
Merit would serve an instrument to recognize the swimmer before they are technically
eligible as an Honoree.

The Certification of Merit is also considered for major solo efforts, except when the swim
was attempted under the jurisdiction of another sanctioning body with the authority of
the swim. For example swims in the English Channel or around Manhattan Island fall
under the jurisdiction of existing sanctioning bodies. It is the sanctioning bodies’
responsibility to honor the swims under their control. The Selection Committee will
consider issuing a Certificate of Merit if these sanctioning body so requests. In most
cases, the Recording a Swim document may be a better vehicle for this recognition.

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 International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame – Selection Criteria

Certificates of Merit may be award to any individual or group that makes a major
contribution to the sport. The group can be defined as FINA, National Swimming
Federations, International Race Management or event specific Marathon Swim
Organizations (e.g., Channel Swimming Association or the Channel Swimming and
Pilots Federation).

A Certificate of Merit is presented to the first-time swimmer or administrator named as a

“finalist” on the balloting for consideration as an International Swimming Hall of Fame
Honoree. Candidates in other categories who supported or contributed to Marathon
Swimming from other disciplines are also be considered.

No specific criterion is used in the selection process and each case is considered on an
individual basis.

Only one Certificate of Merit is issued to an individual or group. They can also be
considered at a later date for inclusion as an Honoree. Exceptions to this rule are
considered.

Irving Davids / Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award Recipients

The Irving Davids / Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award was established in 1970 by
the New England Marathon Swimming Association to honor and recognize the
contribution of individuals and groups making major contributions to Marathon
Swimming and serve as a perpetual memorial to Irving Davids and Captain Roger
Wheeler.

The Davids / Wheeler Award is an International Swimming Hall of Fame award,

administered by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. It is given annually
to the person or group making major ongoing contributions to the sport of Marathon
Swimming. Although the award is presented annually, it is in an award based on a
lifetime of service. There is no specific criterion for selection. Selection is based on a
comparison of the candidates to the other candidates and past winners.

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