Richard Thornton, a US Olympian and head coach of San Ramon Valley Aquatics, has died. He was 65 years old.
Family confirms to NBC Bay Area Thornton died Thursday while surfing at a spot in Santa Cruz known as “The Hook.”
In a post on Facebook, his younger brother said Thornton “died doing what he loved.”
Thornton was on the 1980 US Olympic swim team. However, the United States boycotted the games in Moscow following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Thornton also represented Team USA at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, earning a total of eight gold medals.
Since 1984, the UC Berkeley graduate has been the head coach at San Ramon Valley Aquatics.
According to the swim center, throughout his career Thornton has coached Olympic finalists, World Championship finalists, European Championship finalists, NCAA All-American swimmers, and a world record holder.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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