Richard Davis Hart
From Openwaterpedia
Dr. Richard Davis Hart (born in Brooklyn, New York on 31 July 1946) is an American pool and open water swimmer and a 1968 graduate of Springfield College.
Swimming Career Highlights
- He completed his first English Channel crossing on 20 August 1972 in 9 hours 44 minutes, setting a record from England to France, breaking Lynne Cox's record of 9 hours 57 minutes. It received the Fastest Solo Swim award in 1972 from the Channel Swimming Association.
- He completed his second English Channel crossing on 24 August 1976 in 9 hours 50 minutes swimming from England to France.
- He was a 3-time All-American swimmer.
- He was Captain of the 1968 Springfield swim team.
- At New England Championships in 1967 and 1968, he set records in the 1650 freestyle and 500 freestyle.
- He set a record for 10-mile Lake Sunapee Marathon in New Hampshire in 3 hours 42 minutes breaking the previous record of 6 hours 5 minutes), an accomplishment that was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Face in the Crowd" in 1968.
- He placed 2nd, 5th, and 8th at the United States Masters Swimming National Championships.
- He had been ranked third in the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation while earning his Ph.D. and serving in the U.S. Army.
