36 Facts About Mark Kerry

Mark Kerry was disappointed with his performances, but they attracted the attention of American coach Doc Counsilman, who invited Mark Kerry to swim under him at the Indiana University.

Mark Kerry set Australian records while in the United States, but his international career hit trouble when he was expelled from the 1978 Commonwealth Games team for breaking a curfew.

Mark Kerry returned to Australia in 1980 for the national championships and gained selection for the Moscow Olympics by winning the backstroke double.

Mark Kerry declined financial inducements and resisted political pressure from the Australian Government to boycott the Olympics in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Mark Kerry then retired and took up a television and modelling career in the United States.

Mark Kerry's mother was a swimming teacher who ran her own aquatic school.

Mark Kerry was taught to swim by his mother, whom he regarded as a perfectionist who emphasised technique and turned him to backstroke.

Mark Kerry grew up participating in a wide range of sports, representing Wollongong High School in tennis, athletics and swimming.

Mark Kerry competed four times in the state cross-country championships.

Once his family had moved to the seaside city of Wollongong, Mark Kerry developed a love of the surf.

Mark Kerry found the ocean water much more exciting due to its unpredictability.

Mark Kerry steadily rose through the surf lifesaving ranks, competing at the state and national championships.

In 1974, Mark Kerry won the Cadet Malibu event in the Australian Championships, and in 1975 he came second in the surf race at the Australian Open Surfing Championships.

In 1974, Mark Kerry competed in the Australian Age Championships in freestyle, before moving north to train with John Rigby in Brisbane, Queensland in the following year.

At the time of his move, Mark Kerry was ranked around 200th in the world in backstroke.

Mark Kerry was disappointed with his performances, feeling that he had failed to perform to his potential amid the pressure and excitement of an Olympics.

Mark Kerry combined with his New South Wales teammates to win all three relays, again in times substantially slower than in the preceding Olympic year.

The performances earned him selection for the Australian team for the Coca-Cola Meet in London, but Mark Kerry felt that he lacked motivation after the Olympics.

In January 1978, Mark Kerry arrived at Indiana University, studying theatre, drama and telecommunications.

Mark Kerry admitted to smoking marijuana, but defended his actions, saying that it was not illegal.

Over time, Mark Kerry became increasingly discontented with Counsilman, who he felt was losing focus and becoming preoccupied with various business commitments and an attempt to swim across the English Channel.

Mark Kerry transferred to the University of Southern California, which was coached by Naber's mentor Peter Daland.

Mark Kerry returned home to compete in the 1980 Australian Championships, winning both backstroke events, albeit in a slower time than his Australian records.

Mark Kerry took a leadership role among the athletes to fight for their right to compete.

Mark Kerry was equally adamant that he was going to compete, unlike some other swimmers who made personal boycotts.

Mark Kerry received offers from Australian government officials to boycott the Games in return for financial payments.

The Australians were sixth at the halfway point when Mark Kerry jumped in for the third leg.

The Soviet hosts had installed a carpet following the incidents, resulting in Mark Kerry leaving red footprints in the stadium.

Mark Kerry had drawn level by the halfway mark and made a superior turn to take the lead.

Mark Kerry was asked to return for the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, so he made a comeback, but did only two weeks of solid training and missed selection, failing to win either backstroke event.

Mark Kerry was confident in his ability to perform at international standards with sporadic preparation after long sabbaticals.

Mark Kerry returned to Australia in 1984 and after training in Brisbane, he was selected for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles despite winning neither backstroke event at the Australian Championships.

Mark Kerry then worked in Los Angeles as a model and hosted a fashion show on cable television.

Tonelli reported that Mark Kerry was busy preening himself just before the start of their Olympic-winning relay performance, claiming that although Australia was unlikely to win the race, he needed to look good because a prospective employer might be watching.

Mark Kerry went on to model on the catwalks of Milan and Paris.

Mark Kerry married his American wife Lynda, and they split their time between Australia and the United States.