Young Duke, the eldest of six brothers, was born Aug. 26, 1890, and was reared near the beach at Waikiki. He astounded the swimming world before the 1912 Olympics when he broke three records in a meet in Honolulu. Duke Kahanamoku and Olympic swimmer and father of modern surfing. Duke Kahanamoku. although his legacy can be seen around the world, his name is known to few outside of Hawaii

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On Monday August 26, 2024, at 8:00 AM ( Alaska Time), on our local public radio show celebrates the birthday of Duke Kahanamoku with a surf playlist. Listen live on102.7fm, or 103.1fm. or https://www.ktoo.org/listen/krnn/

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Duke, was a true son of Hawaii. He was completely at home on the waves. he first came to national attention as a swimmer, overcoming competitors and racism. in 1911 in Hawaii’s first competitive amateur swim, meet, the 20-year-old Kahanamoku shattered the American record in the 100 yard freestyle buy a full 4.6 seconds. However, mainland officials refused to acknowledge his record accomplishment.

Local Hawaiians raised money for Kahanamoku to prove his abilities as a swimmer on a national scale.In meets in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, he smashed established records in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 220-yard freestyle events

in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm Sweden, he won a gold medal and a silver medal. he qualified for two other Olympic Games in which he won two more gold medals and an additional silver medal.

His exploits in the competitive swimming pool brought even more attention to his surfing. On beaches from Hawaii to California to Sydney Australia, he used his long boards made of native Hawaiian Koa wood, to introduce the world to to a sport, which was nearly unknown outside of Hawaii.

He also showed the surfboards could save lives. In 1925, While surfing in Southern California, he paddled into a stormy ocean to save the lives of eight people whose boat had capsized in the storm. The incident was the inspiration for paddle boards which lifeguards used today while saving lives.

He had a bit of a movie career. Between 1925 and 1955, he had small rolls in numerous films. He later returned to live full-time in his native Hawaii. it was during this time that he began a 25 year career as sheriff of Honolulu. Duke Kahanamoku, is in the Hall of Fame of three different sports, namely, swimming, surfing, and the Olympics.

Though Kahanamoku, is no longer alive, he still has a presence on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. A 9 foot bronze statue, erected to mark the centennial of his birth, invites visitors to ride his waves.

Source: P.B.S. & N.Y.T.