Legacy of U.S. swimmer Fran Crippen honored at London Olympics

LONDON — American swimmer Fran Crippen had hoped to be at the starting line Friday when the men’s 10k open-water marathon got underway in Hyde Park. As a world bronze medalist and a two-time national champion in the event, it seemed likely he would.

That dream, however, tragically — and needlessly — ended two years ago when he drowned during an international competition.

And yet Crippen was everywhere Friday.

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In the water and at news conferences, swimmers paid tribute to Crippen, who died in October 2010 while competing amid unsafe conditions at a World Cup race in the United Arab Emirates. His death at age 26, which an independent investigation blamed on dangerously high water temperatures and other lapsed procedures, called attention to the lack of safety standards in the endurance event and put pressure on the sport’s international federation to make changes.

“Fran Crippen is a hero to swimmers in the United States and the world,” said Tunisia’s Oussama Mellouli, the former USC swimmer whose gold medal in the 10k made him the first athlete to win both pool and open-water swimming events at the Olympics.

Silver medalist Thomas Lurz of Germany — who won the event in which Crippen died — has been an outspoken critic of both the World Cup race organizers and FINA, the sport’s international federation, for failing to ensure the athletes’ safety. At a news conference after his Olympic race, Lurz acknowledged he had been thinking of Crippen during these Games.

“I think it’s very important to remember Fran,” he said. “It’s important to remember him because he was a great athlete and a friendly guy. It was a big loss for the sport.”

No swimmer, however, felt that loss at the Olympics more than Crippen’s U.S. teammate Alex Meyer. A 24-year-old Harvard graduate from Ithaca, N.Y., Meyer had wanted to swim here in tribute to his close friend, but he had a disappointing race and finished 10th with a time of 1:50:48.2.

Mellouli, who won the 1,500-meter pool race in 2008, won the gold medal in 1:49:55.1. Lurz got silver in 1:49:58.5, and Richard Weinberger of Canada took bronze in 1:50:00.3.

For the most part, Meyer said, he stayed focused on the race throughout his six laps around the Serpentine, Hyde Park’s iconic lake. His thoughts, however, strayed to Crippen whenever he passed a group of friends and family along the course.

He also had talked to Crippen’s parents, who live in suburban Philadelphia, the night before the competition.

“They said, ‘Good luck, be safe,’” Meyer said. “There were some tears, but it was good to talk to them.”

Meyer did not commit to competing again four years from now in Rio, though his coach expects him to be there. In the meantime, Meyer will push for tougher safety standards in his fallen teammate’s memory.

In the wake of Crippen’s death, FINA issued a series of recommendations that include canceling events when the water temperature rises above 87.8 degrees. But it is not a firm ceiling and Meyer has been a tireless advocate for an absolute limit.

The water temperature when Crippen died hovered around 89 degrees. The Olympic course was about 70 degrees on Friday.

At the urging of Meyer and others, U.S. Swimming set the maximum water temperature at 85 degrees for its events and established sanctions for those who violate the threshold.

“A lot of good has come out of a very tragic situation,” said Tim Murphy, Meyer’s coach. “And a lot of that is to Alex’s credit.”

sstclair@tribune.com

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