California High School Represented at Every Olympics Since 1952

[Mavric]

This is pretty crazy:

Woodrow Wilson Classical High School has been the biggest beneficiary of the lifestyle that comes with a proximity to the diverse waterways of Long Beach, and Belmont Plaza in particular. The indoor pool there was the site of the 1968 and 1976 Olympic swimming and diving trials and numerous other high-profile meets before it was demolished in late 2014 due to earthquake retrofit deficiencies.

Stunningly, Wilson has placed at least one alumnus in every Summer Olympics since 1952 (save for 1980, when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Games). Of the school's 29 Olympians in that span, 16 were swimmers, divers or water polo players. Tony Azevedo stretched Wilson's consecutive Games streak to 16 this summer by qualifying for his fifth straight Olympic men's water polo team.

"There's something in the water," joked O'Toole, now 55.

And it's not just the local freshwater tanks that have played a key role in sending athletes to the world's biggest stage. Five other Wilson graduates have qualified for the Summer Olympics in rowing, triathlon, sailing or windsurfing.

Of course, having the Pacific Ocean at your doorstep and a consistent westerly breeze certainly helps with development and preparation in those sports, but Long Beach boasts another unique training venue: one of the few marine stadiums in the U.S.

ESPN