His legacy is set. As an administrator working behind the scenes, Dennis Miller rose in the FINA Family ranks to the highest echelon in aquatic administration: he became a FINA Bureau member while overseeing FINA’s newest aquatic discipline, open water swimming.
As he worked on the details of integrating open water swimming into the FINA framework, Miller was instrumental in getting marathon swimming into the Olympics. He lobbied, he refereed, he explained, he presented and was the constant in the FINA camp when it came to open water swimming.
The dues he paid and the countless hours that he devoted to the sport were recognized by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame that recognized Miller as an Honour Administrator in its Class of 2013.
Credited as one of the three people who formulated and pushed forward the current racing format used at the Olympic 10km Marathon Swim (together with Chris Guesdon and Sid Cassidy who are shown on left), his legacy is acknowledged by his peers.
“The IMSHOF extends its hearty congratulations to Dennis on his selection. The Hall of Fame welcomes him into the fold of the truly greats in our sport of marathon swimming,” said IMSHOF Honorary Secretary Dale Petranech.
“Dennis is a pillar in the FINA world. There isn’t anyone in the world who has attended more world-class FINA open water swimming competitions than Dennis. He is a constant with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history, rules, and operations of competitive open water swimming world,” agreed Steven Munatones, Vice President of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. “He isn’t brash, he isn’t egotistical. He just gets the job done administratively. Paperwork, procedures, protocols and reports – those little things that need to get done to put on world-class events in countries around the world – that is where Dennis has excelled. His work has laid the foundation that has allowed marathon swimming to reach its Olympic status.”
Miller’s fellow inductees in the Class of 2013 include the following luminaries of the sport:
Honour Swimmers include Great Britain’s Lewis Pugh and Nick Adams and Australia’s Melissa Cunningham.
Ned Denison was the recipient of the Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award.
The Honour Administrator includes American coach Don Watson.
Honour Organisations include the Midmar Mile from South Africa and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation from Great Britain.
A Certificate of Merit was issued to the Open Water Swimming Committee of the Indonesian Swimming Federation.
A Pioneer Swimmer recognized by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was Rose Pitonof.
ISHOF Finalists included David Yudovin, Mercedes Gleitze, and Dale Petranech.
The names of the honourees, along with 250 other great achievers and outstanding contributors in sport of marathon swimming, will be inscribed on the SEA GODDESS, the official trophy on permanent display at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Their formal induction will take place during the annual International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame ceremonies. In 2011, the ceremonies were held in the United Nations Building in New York City. In 2012, the ceremonies were held on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.
Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Associaiton