University of Vermont Athletics

John W. Radimer 1971 - Swimming, Track and Field

In two distinctly different disciplines, swimming and track and field, John Radimer, a 1992 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, excelled ... and still does. A school record-holder in both swimming and track and field Radimer truly is one of UVM's all-time most versatile athletes.

Says his former track coach, Ed Kusiak: "Track events are the opposite of swimming. The transition of endurance orientation in swimming to explosiveness in track (and field) is a very difficult feat in itself, as it the use of different muscle groups. And, John did both so very well."

As a swimmer, Radimer was 55-5 in dual-meet races and held or shared six school records. The Vermont Swimmer of the Year in 1970-71, he recorded eight top-10 New England finishes over his career at UVM. In track and field, he set freshman indoor and outdoor discus records in 1968 and established the Vermont state record (143'6") in 1969 that lasted for six years.

That same year, Radimer was sixth in the discus at the New Englands. Since graduating from Vermont, he has not been able to squelch his competitive drive, winning two championships in track and field weight pentathlons and becoming one of the top Masters swimmers in the nation. In 1990, he was ranked third nationally in the 100-yard freestyle, fifth in the 200 individual medleys and 10th in the 50-meter butterfly. Adds Kusiak: "John was a great example of a team person, and he displayed unselfishness in two sports." His son, Scott, went on to UVM and was a standout swimmer for the Catamounts.