Jesus David "Jesse" Vassallo Anadon was born on August 9,1961 and is a former competition swimmer and world record-holder in the 200 and 400 individual medley, who participated in the 1984 Summer Olympics for the United States.
23 Facts About Jesse Vassallo
1.
2.
Jesse Vassallo was somewhat unique in the scale of his achievements as a swimmer, and in a tribute to his World Records in 1978 was voted Swimming World Magazine's "Male Swimmer of the Year".
3.
Jesse Vassallo received his primary education at Academia Cristo Rey in Ponce.
4.
On one occasion, while relaxing by a hotel swimming pool in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jesse Vassallo's father asked his sons to compete against some girls that were swimming laps in the pool.
5.
In 1971, at the age of 10, Jesse Vassallo's father moved his family to Miami, Florida, where he was to open a branch of the family business, Jesse Vassallo Industries.
6.
Jesse Vassallo took his first national record at age 13 in the 200m backstroke, and later broke a 50-meter backstroke swimming record.
7.
Jesse Vassallo held various records, including the 100- and 200-meter backstrokes, and the 200- and 400-meter individual medley.
Related searches
Jimmy Carter 8.
Jesse Vassallo already ranked among the top ten in the world in three of the events.
9.
Jesse Vassallo began training with the Mission Viejo Nadadores under Hall of Fame Coach Mark Schubert, who would later become the coach of the USA Swimming Team, University of Texas Women, University of Southern California, and the American Olympic Team.
10.
In 1976, Jesse Vassallo Anadon wanted to participate in the 1976 Summer Olympics, which were held in Montreal, Canada, representing Puerto Rico, but he could not participate due to a ruling of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee that stated that "in order to represent Puerto Rico, a person must have resided on the island for at least a year".
11.
Jesse Vassallo did however, participate in the US Swimming Nationals at Philadelphia for the first time, and won his first national title and a national gold medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle.
12.
In 1977, Jesse Vassallo Anadon traveled with the US team, winning medals in New Zealand, the Netherlands and France.
13.
In 1978, Jesse Vassallo Anadon broke his first record in the 400-meter individual medley trials for the 1978 World Championships to be held in Berlin, Germany.
14.
In 1979, Jesse Vassallo Anadon broke his third world record in the 200-meter individual medley and won gold in the 1979 Pan American Games, held in San Juan.
15.
Jesse Vassallo Anadon was unable to attend the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, Russia, because of the US and multinational boycott imposed by US President Jimmy Carter as a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
16.
Jesse Vassallo competed in another competition held in the United States, which were held at the same time as the Moscow Olympics.
17.
Jesse Vassallo made better times in the 200- and 400-meter individual medley event at the competition than the two gold medalists in Moscow.
18.
Jesse Vassallo made a successful comeback a year later, and was named to the 1984 US Olympic team.
19.
Jesse Vassallo graduated from the University of Miami in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications.
20.
Jesse Vassallo was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
21.
In 1997, Jesse Vassallo Anadon became the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
22.
Jesse Vassallo is recognized at Ponce's Park for the Illustrious Ponce Citizens.
23.
In Japan, the swimming style developed by Jesse Vassallo is called basaro, based on a mispronunciation of Jesse Vassallo's name.