George Kojac

{{Short description|American swimmer (1910–1996)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = George Kojac

| image = Buster Crabbe, George Kojac, Ray Ruddy, Johnny Weissmuller 1928.jpg

| image_size = 240

| alt =

| caption = Buster Crabbe, George Kojac, Ray Ruddy and Johnny Weissmuller in 1928

| fullname = George Harold Kojac

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{USA}}

| strokes = Backstroke, freestyle

| club = Boys' Club of New York

| collegeteam = Rutgers University

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|3|2|mf=y}}

| birth_place = New York, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1996|5|28|1910|3|2|mf=y}}

| death_place = Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games}}

File:Olympic rings.svg

{{MedalGold | 1928 Amsterdam | 100 m backstroke}}

{{MedalGold | 1928 Amsterdam | 4×200 m freestyle}}

}}

George Harold Kojac (March 2, 1910 – May 28, 1996) was an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

Kojac represented the United States at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/george-kojac-1.html George Kojac] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109132440/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/george-kojac-1.html |date=November 9, 2012 }}. Retrieved March 24, 2013. As a member of the winning U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, he received a gold medal. Kojac and teammates Austin Clapp, Walter Laufer and Johnny Weissmuller set a new world record of 9:36.2 in the event final.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/USA/summer/1928/SWI/ United States Swimming at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221234121/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/USA/summer/1928/SWI/ |date=February 21, 2013 }}. Retrieved March 24, 2013. Individually, he won another gold medal in the men's 100-meter backstroke with a second world record time of 1:08.2.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/SWI/mens-100-metres-backstroke-final.html Men's 100 metres Backstroke Final] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109191522/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/SWI/mens-100-metres-backstroke-final.html |date=November 9, 2012 }}. Retrieved March 24, 2013. He also finished fourth in the men's 100-meter freestyle in 1:00.8.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/SWI/mens-100-metres-freestyle-final.html Men's 100 metres Freestyle Final] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112050611/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/SWI/mens-100-metres-freestyle-final.html |date=November 12, 2012 }}. Retrieved March 24, 2013.

Kojac was born to Ukrainian immigrants. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School, and learned to swim in the East River in New York. In 1931 he graduated from the Rutgers University and missed the 1932 Olympics because of his studies at Columbia Medical School. During his swimming career Kojac set 23 world records. In 1968 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/george-kojac-(usa).html |title=George Kojac (USA) |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=International Swimming Hall of Fame |access-date=August 24, 2015 |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412162824/http://www.ishof.org/george-kojac-(usa).html |url-status=dead }}