Like Father, Like Daughter: Katharine Berkoff Establishing Own Impressive Legacy Two characteristics of Katharine Berkoff distinguish her from the majority of elite swimmers. First, she is the daughter of David Berkoff, a four-time Olympic medalist (two gold, one silver, one bronze) and four-time world record holder in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The elder Berkoff was the first man ever to break 55 seconds in the 100 meter backstroke, and he was a pioneer in swimming as he perfected the âBerkoff Blastoff,â kicking underwater for more than half the length off the start in his backstroke races. As Katharine has become an impact performer in her own right, she has never felt pressure to live up to her fatherâs impressive example. Instead, his success inspired Katharine on her own path, one that brought her within tenths of an Olympic spot as she finished fourth in the 100 backstroke as a 20-year-old at the 2021 Olympic Trials. |