Alan Somers

Who is Alan Somers?

Alan Brounell Somers is an American former competition swimmer and world record-holder who represented the United States at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. Somers competed in the men's 400-meter freestyle, finishing fifth in the event final with a 4:22.0. He also qualified for the final of the men's 1,500-meter freestyle, and clocked a time of 18:02.8 and finished seventh overall.

Somers was a member of a U.S. team that set a new world record of 8:17.0 in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay on July 23, 1960; the record was broken by an Australian relay team less than a month later.

Somers attended Indiana University, where he swam for coach Doc Counsilman's Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association competition. He received eight All-American honors as a college athlete, and won three Big Ten Conference individual championships in the 1,500-meter and 1,650-yard freestyle events.

He graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1968 and specialized in neurology.