Jerry Heidenreich
Jerome Alan Heidenreich (February 4, 1950 – April 18, 2002) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.  He competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, where he received gold medals in the 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay.  He received a silver medal in 100-meter freestyle, and a bronze medal in 100-meter butterfly.

He set six world records during his swimming career, all as a relay team member.

Education 
He swam for Hillcrest High School in Dallas, and then attended Southern Methodist University where he broke nearly all of the college's freestyle, butterfly, and individual medley records.  He was an All American four times while at SMU, and won one NCAA title, eighteen individual Southwest Conference Titles, and set a new World Record in the 200 yard freestyle.

He graduated from SMU in 1972 with a business degree.

Coach 
He became a swimming coach in the 1980s.  He was a founder and Coach of the Academy of Texas Aquatic Champion Swim Club in Dallas, and coached at Hockaday a private Dallas girls' school.  He also coached Master's Swimming at Ken Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.  He was married three times. In July 2001, Heidenreich had a mild stroke which left him with a degree of paralysis on his left side. On April 18, 2002, he killed himself with an overdose of prescription medicine at his home in Paris, Texas.

Heidenreich was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1992.

See also
 List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
 List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
 List of Southern Methodist University people
 World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
 World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay
 World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay

References

External links

 

1950 births
2002 suicides
2002 deaths
Drug-related suicides in Texas
American male butterfly swimmers
American male freestyle swimmers
World record setters in swimming
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming
Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming
Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma
SMU Mustangs men's swimmers
Swimmers at the 1971 Pan American Games
Swimmers at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States
Pan American Games medalists in swimming
Universiade medalists in swimming
Universiade silver medalists for the United States
Medalists at the 1970 Summer Universiade
Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games