Breaking the Surface (44 page)

C
AREER
H
IGHLIGHTS
:

• 1984 and 1988 Olympic double gold medalist for threemeter springboard and ten-meter platform

• 1976 Olympic silver medalist on ten-meter platform

• Five-time world champion: springboard 1982, 1986; platform 1978, 1982, 1986

• FINA World Cup gold medalist: springboard 1983,1987; platform 1979, 1983

• Winner of 47 U.S. national diving titles, more than anyone in U.S. history

• Swept all three events—one-meter and three-meter springboard and ten-meter platform—at five of the eight U.S. championships between 1985 and 1988

• First diver to break 700 points on platform (and the only one to do it at the Olympics): 710.91 at the 1984 Olympics and 717.41 at the 1986 Mission Bay Challenge

• Swept Pan American Games gold medals in 1979, 1983, 1987, and U.S. Olympic (National Sports) Festival titles in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1987

• Only diver to record a perfect dive in both national and world competition (received a score of 10 from all seven judges)

• Three-time NCAA champion

• Winner of the AAU’s James E. Sullivan Award for outstanding achievements in 1984

• Winner of 1987 Jesse Owens Award

• Inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993

• Winner of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Robert J. Kane Award in 1994

Unlike diving, writing a book is a team effort. Many thanks to our editor, Mitchell Ivers, for his masterful editing and his unflagging enthusiasm; Jed Mattes, our agent, for bringing us to Mitchell and for his daily encouragement; Robby Browne, who got the ball rolling; Kathy Prata, for transcribing hours and hours of interviews; Veronica Windholz, for her sensitive copyediting; and Tanya Perez, for her beautiful book design.

Thank you, Annie Leibovitz, and all the other photographers who contributed their wonderful work to the book. And much appreciation to Benjamin Dreyer, production editor; Elina Choung, production manager; Fred Morris, our agent’s assistant; and Alexandra Fox, our editor’s assistant.

Also thank you to Billy Kolber, Peggy Levine, Dr. Kathy Shon, and Maggi Stern for their helpful comments on the manuscript. And finally, thank you to those who generously shared their memories, especially Ron and Mary Jane O’Brien, Megan Neyer, and Frances Louganis.

ERIC MARCUS

It takes guts to dive off a ten-meter platform and even more courage to bare your soul. Thank you, Greg, for trusting me.

Thank you, also, to Daniel Levy for his advice on research; Robert Getlan, my Mac gum, who came through in moments of desperation; my attorney, Michael Naso, for expert advice; Joy Harris, Marian Young, and Susan Simon, for keeping me well fed through the first ten chapters; Brutus and Donna, who reminded me why I like small dogs; and Barney Karpfinger, for lots of things. And thank you to my many friends who once again offered support, encouragement, and advice, including Mark Burstein and David Calle, Dr. Stephen Frommer, Brett Morrow, Stuart Schear, and Phil Roselin.

GREG LOUGANIS

Boy, what a journey! Thank you to Eric Marcus for his insight, courage, patience, and persistence in helping me dig deep into my heart and soul to uncover my story. We both needed a lot of hugs along the way from each other and friends.

Lots of thanks to Maggi Stern for her day-to-day help searching through my papers and keeping me organized; Megan Neyer and Ron and Mary Jane O’Brien, who generously offered their homes, their time, and their encouragement; and Dr. Stan Ziegler, for helping me understand my past and sort out my future.

And thank you, Mom and Aunt Geri, for all the newspaper clips, photographs, and unconditional love.