Gold Medal awarded, 72 years late

Mike Schoettle is living proof that good things come to those who wait, as just days before the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, the USA sailor finally received his long-awaited gold medal from the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Schoettle was an alternate member of the victorious 5.5m team, but due to an interpretation of the rules at the time, he was not awarded a medal at the Games – despite being listed as part of the winning crew skippered by Britton Chance along with twin brothers Ed and Sumner White,

Schoettle sailed in the sixth race, which the United States team won, but was deemed ineligible to receive a medal because he did not race in the seventh and final race of the event. After six races, Norway was the overall leader in the 16-boat fleet, but when USA also won the final race, Norway needed to finish third for the gold medal. When Norway finished fourth, they slipped to second and the gold went to the USA team.

Schoettle’s son Will asked US Sailing to assist in making a request that World Sailing revisit the issue, along with his friend, Richard Young. In February 2023, the federation enlisted the help of David Tillett AM, Chair of the Constitution Committee, who examined the 1952 North American Yacht Racing Union (NAYRU) rules and concluded there was no reason why Schoettle should not be awarded a medal.

World Sailing presented all the information to the IOC, and they agreed Schoettle was entitled to receive a gold medal for his role in the win. The decision was confirmed at the IOC’s Executive Board meeting in June 2023, with Schoettle receiving the medal at a special ceremony as the LA84 Foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary in Los Angeles on July 14, 2024.

“We are very proud to have played a part in making sure his achievement is recognized and his role in the winning team acknowledged,” said David Graham, Chief Executive Officer of World Sailing. “The entire global sailing community congratulates him for playing an important part in the Olympic Movement and his family for their perseverance and determination to see his piece of sailing history recognized.”

Will Schoettle added, “My father has been involved with US Sailing for over forty years, including crewing on the gold medal winning boat Complex II in 1952, going with the team as an alternate in 1972, managing the competition on the water in 1984, and then acting as team leader in 1992 when the US Sailing Team won medals in 9 out of 10 events. It is wonderful for him to finally receive the medal which he won all those years ago when he was just 15!”

Source: US Sailing