Deborah Babashoff

Deborah Babashoff

Personal information
Full name	Deborah Babashoff
Nickname(s)	"Debbie"
National team	United States
Born	1970 Whittier, California
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Mission Viejo Nadadores
Medal record Women's swimming Competitor for United States World Championships 1986 Madrid 800 m freestyle Pan American Games 1987 Indianapolis 800 m freestyle

Deborah Babashoff (born 1970) is an American former competition swimmer who won a bronze medal in the 800-meter freestyle event at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships.^[1] Next year she won a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games in the same event, and in 1989 a national title in the 1500-meter freestyle.^[2]

Debbie was born to Vera and Jack Babashoff in Whittier, California. Her father had been a swimming instructor in Hawaii and always wanted his own children to become Olympians.^[3] Both of her parents is a second-generation Russian American.^[4][5]

Her older sister Shirley (b. 1957) and older brothers Jack, Jr., (b. 1955) and Bill (b. 1959) were also swimmers who competed internationally.^[2][6]

References

1. Jean-Louis Meuret (2007), HistoFINA Volume IV – Tome IV. MEDALLISTS AND STATISTICS. Special FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (50 m.) Before Rome 2009.
2. Paula Edelson (1 January 2002). A to Z of American Women in Sports. Infobase Publishing. pp. 13–. ISBN 978-1-4381-0789-9. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
3. Babashoff, Shirley. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures (January 1, 2002).
4. Vera John Slevkoff Babashoff
5. Babashoff, Shirley. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures (January 1, 2002).
6. Kristin Hardeman (April 23, 1988). HIGH LIFE : In the Family Swim : Babashoff Hopes to Follow Siblings to Olympic Stardom. Los Angeles Times