Jim Montgomery (swimmer)
James Paul Montgomery is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Montgomery was the first man to break the 50-second barrier in the 100-meter freestyle, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, where he won three gold medals and one bronze.
Montgomery won five gold medals in freestyle events at the first World Championships in 1973. From Yugoslavia, Montgomery went to Indiana University, swam for Doc Counsilman for four years, with the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games taking place between his junior and senior years.
He founded the Dallas Masters swim program in 1981 and later renamed it the Lone Star Masters. In 1990, the name officially became Baylor/Lone Star Masters. He began teaching swim lessons in 2007, including a class to help adults get past their fear of water.
He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1986 as an Honor Swimmer.
He coached varsity swimming at the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas from 1999 to 2016. He resigned in 2016 to launch the Jim Montgomery Swim School.
He also is the founder of the Dallas Aquatic Masters club team and in 2002 was named U.S. Masters Swimming Coach of the Year.
