Adolph Kiefer, the first man in the world to swim the 100-yard backstroke under one minute, was among former Olympians who visited the NCAA Hall of Champions recently for a USA Swimming luncheon.

The swimmers were in Indianapolis for the USA Swimming Championships.

Kiefer is a noted aquatic innovator, and he is credited, among other things, with developing a diving platform that currently is on display at the Hall of Champions. His other inventions include nylon swimming suits, updated snorkeling gear, more aerodynamic water skis, water-safety equipment used by the Coast Guard and lifeguards, racing equipment and therapeutic recreation products. He also has worked with the Navy, changing its swimming instruction.

Kiefer broke the backstroke record while competing as a 16-year-old in the Illinois high school championships of 1935. He went on to represent the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, where he won a gold medal. He met Adolph Hitler at those Olympics and said later that he would have thrown Hitler in the pool if he would have known the future.