Katharine Berkoff Shares Olympic Backstroke Dream – and soon Tattoo – With Father David Berkoff

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Katharine Berkoff has dreamed of getting an Olympic ring tattoo since she was a kid.

She wanted to be an Olympian like her dad, David Berkoff.

Now, they will get the Olympic tattoos together on their forearms, something David never did.

“He was my earliest inspiration. As soon as I found out he made the Olympics and got a Gold Medal and world record, I decided I wanted to do the same thing. So we don’t talk about it too much now but we plan on getting the rings tattooed together this summer because my dad hasn’t gotten them yet. It’s really cool to carry on the backstroke legacy that my dad had,” Katharine Berkoff said. “I don’t know why my dad never got the tattoos. I’m not sure if it really wasn’t a thing back then. I’m so glad he waited because I think we’re even getting in the same spot. That’s pretty cool. But yeah, I need to make that appointment pretty soon.”

David Berkoff was an Olympian in 1988 and 1992 in the backstroke, earning multiple medals by pioneering an underwater technique that eventually changed the rules.

Katharine qualified in the same event by finishing second at the trials, her time made her the fourth-fastest in history at 57.91.

While she said her father didn’t ever put any pressure on her regarding swimming or getting to the Olympics, Katharine put it on herself.

“For me, three years ago, missing the team, when I, like, wholeheartedly believed I could make it was really horrible. Like it was so devastating. But looking back, definitely was the best thing that could have happened for my career in the long run,” Katharine Berkoff said. “I mean, I’ve had some ups and downs in between with, like getting really sick like a year and a half ago. But I think all of that just led to more motivation into this summer and kind of taught me what it takes to make the
team.

“And just trying to remember that I swim because I love it and I’ve had these Olympic dreams since I was born.”

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