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Swimmer Katharine Berkoff Wins Bronze in the Same Event Her Dad Won 32 Years Ago
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Team USA swimmer continued her father's legacy, taking third in the women's 100-meter backstroke, echoing dad David Berkoff's Olympic triumphs from 32 years ago.
The Paris 2024 Olympics have taken the world by storm, captivating audiences across multiple sports.
In a historic event for Team USA, swimmer Katharine Berkoff clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 100-meter backstroke at the Paris Olympics — the same exact event her father won bronze in 32 years ago.
Katharine's journey to the Olympics gained speed when she attended North Carolina State University, where she stood out on the NC State Wolfpack swimming team. Throughout her college career, she garnered numerous accolades and played a crucial role in both individual and relay events. Her bronze medal win has made her the first woman NC State swimmer in history to secure a medal at the Olympics, per Technician, NC State University's student newspaper.
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For Katharine, getting to walk in the steps of her father has been a goal of hers. “He was my first inspiration," Katharine told 406 MT Sports. "I wouldn't be where I am today without him. I mean, as soon as I figured out what he had done, I decided I wanted to do the same thing. It’s just been really special to follow in his footsteps and just take steps towards my ultimate goal.”
Her achievements at the Paris Olympics contributed to Team USA’s milestone of 3,000 Olympic medals, showcasing her family's storied legacy in the sport. Her performance highlighted her talent and underscored the enduring strength and success of Team USA in competitive swimming. Berkoff earned a medal alongside her teammate, Regan Smith, who secured a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke.
"I'm so proud of Katharine and the legacy that she has upheld of her dad's is absolutely incredible," Smith stated in an interview with 406 MT Sports. "I know that he is so unbelievably proud of her too. And it's just really special to kind of see that continue through the generations, her dad and now her."
Who is David Berkoff, Katharine Berkoff’s father?
Berkoff is a former American competitive swimmer and Olympian, best known for his innovative underwater swimming technique, the "Berkoff Blastoff," which revolutionized the backstroke event, per Olympics.com.
Named after Berkoff, the technique involved swimming underwater with a powerful dolphin kick for a significant portion of the backstroke race. By staying submerged longer, Berkoff could maintain incredible speed and reduce resistance from the water's surface, giving him a competitive edge — though the World Aquatics association, formerly known as Fédération internationale de natation (FINA), later set a limit on how far swimmers could swim underwater.
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Born November 30, 1966, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Berkoff significantly impacted the swimming world during his athletic career. He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke and a gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. His "Berkoff Blastoff" technique significantly impacted competitive swimming in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as it helped Berkoff break the world record in the 100-meter backstroke and win multiple Olympic medals.
The swimmer also competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, earning a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke and another gold in the medley relay. David's pioneering approach and accomplishments in swimming set a high standard. For an extended period, her father was the foremost mens swimmer in the United States.
Her Parents on Seeing Their Daughter Swim
Katharine and David are not the only swimmers in the family — Katharine's mother Shirley Gustafson is also a swimmer, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. Not to forget Katharine's older brother, Cole, who also swam in the backstroke at the University of Minnesota.
Though many would assume Gustafson and Berkoff made swimming a requirement, the parents said that it was always Katharine who wanted to become a swimmer. Her father specifically remembers seeing a 4-year-old Katharine beg to join the swim team, to which he said that she had to swim across the pool to prove she had what it takes.
"She gets out and goes, ‘Can I join the swim team now?’” Dave told the News & Observer. “And I said, ‘No, not until you turn five. So she had to do another round of lessons.”
Looks like those lessons paid off and then some!
