Back in 2010 in the last domestic race featuring Fran Crippen, the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships were held in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California.
Crippen had won an earlier match-up against Chip Peterson, Andrew Gemmell and Alex Meyer at the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championship 10 km race (see video above), but Peterson edged his Germantown rival at the Pan Pacific Championships a month later while Christine Jennings won the women’s 10 km race.
2010 Pan Pacific Championships 10 km – Women’s Top 3
- Christine Jennings, USA 2:00:33.83
- Eva Fabian, USA 2:00:35.76
- Melissa Gorman, Australia 2:00:56.57
2010 Pan Pacific Championships 10 km – Men’s Top 3
- Chip Peterson, USA 1:56:00.02
- Fran Crippen, USA 1:56.02.74
- Richard Weinberger, Canada 1:56:02.98
USA Swimming will host the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships again in Marine Stadium on August 10th this year. Moesha Johnson and Tayla Martin of Australia, along with Ichika Kajimoto of Japan, and Kyle Lee and Thomas Raymond of Australia are favored to top the podium.
Act of Compassion in the Midst of the 2010 Competition
While Peterson won the 2010 Pan Pacs 10 km race, there was a backstory that bordered on the incredible.
Crippen came into the event as the race favorite, but he knew his teammate, buddy, and fellow competitor Alex Meyer was feeling bad – and looking worse. Meyer just wasn’t his same ol’ self. “I had some sort of salmonella poisoning or something,” recalls Meyer. Looking pale and weak, Meyer still swam out to the start and lined up with the international stars from Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil and the USA.
“It was clear that Alex was not his normal self and I was surprised that he even put on his cap and goggles,” said race director Steven Munatones. “He should have been in bed, not in the open water.”
Crippen knew that too. But he balanced his spirit of fierce competitiveness with his concern with his teammate.
“As the pack started to get strung out a little before half, Fran started to pick up his head and look around,” remembered Munatones who was on the referee’s boat alongside the lead pack. “It was clear that he was looking for something or someone.” It turned out that he was looking for Meyer who was clearly struggling. “He slowed up, cut across the pack, and made it a specific point to swim up to his friend. It appeared there were not only words spoken, but there was an obvious bond and concern that was shared through their goggles without words being spoken. It was like Fran was saying, “C’mon buddy. Hang in there. I am with you, just draft alongside.'”
The move was touching and dramatic. It was totally uncalled for and completely unselfish.
Just a quick move and quick check on a fellow athlete showed the officials and fans exactly what made Crippen the man and role model that he was. Crippen clearly put his own goals on the back burner and showed compassion during an international competition.
Meyer ended up pulling out of the 10 km swim, but Crippen came back and just barely lost the gold to another American world champion. Crippen’s sister Teresa remembered watching her brother turn back during the race with disbelief, but she knew exactly what he was all about. “Alex was like a brother at that point.”
“He was my friend and teammate,” said Meyer. “Fran touched so many people in so many different ways.” That is quite clear in the Marine Stadium in August 2010.
What stories will emergy from Marine Stadium on August 10th?
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