Scott Leary

John Scott Leary (December 29, 1881 – July 1, 1958) was an American freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri. He won a silver medal in the 50-yard freestyle and a bronze medal in the 100-yard freestyle.[1]

In June 1901, the San Francisco Call reported that Leary had set a new world record in the 50 yard dash with a time of 29.2 seconds, [2] though it seems probable English swimmer John Derbyshire had already eclipsed that time. In January 1906, the Call reported he had set a new American amateur record in that distance with the time of 26.2, 0.4 seconds faster than the previous record set by J.W. Lawrence in 1905.[3]

In August 1901, the Call reported that Leary had set a new American record in the 100 yard swim by 1:03.5, besting the prior record by 2.5 seconds.[4] In July 1905, it reported he had a set new world record in the event at one minute flat, an improvement of 2.8 seconds on the prior world record.[5]

Leary was later a starting official for swim events.[6]