Katharine Berkoff
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Katharine Berkoff (born January 28, 2001) is an American female swimmer who competed for North Carolina State University and won a gold medal in the 4x100 medley relay and a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. A prolific international competitor, she won fifteen medals, including five golds, at Short course and Long course World Championships between 2021-2024 in individual backstroke and both freestyle and medley relay events.
Career
Early career
Berkoff was born in 2001.[1] She is the daughter of Shirley Gustafson and David Berkoff, a former swimmer who won four medals at the Summer Olympics.[2]
Berkoff grew up in Missoula, Montana, and attended Hellgate High School.[3]
She competed at the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in August. She won the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke and the bronze medal in the 200 m backstroke.[4]
In July 2019, Berkoff competed at the 2019 Summer Universiade. She won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke and broke the meet record. Then, she finished fourth in the 50 m backstroke. In the women's 4 × 100 m medley relay, she won a gold medal.[5]
North Carolina State University
Berkoff attended North Carolina State University, where she swam for Head Coach Braden Holloway, a ten-time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year. She would become NC State's first female Olympian.[6] She started competing for North Carolina in her freshman year from 2019–20, competing through 2023.[7]
2021
Berkoff competed at the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships in March. She won the gold medal in the 100 y backstroke and finished sixth in the 200 y backstroke. Berkoff won gold medals in the women's 200 y medley relay and the women's 400 y medley relay. She won a bronze medal in the women's 200 y freestyle relay.[7]
In June, Berkoff competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic trials and finished fourth in the 100 m backstroke.[5]
In December, Berkoff competed at the 2021 World Championships (25 m). In the women's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, she swam in the heats and the final, winning a gold medal. In the women's 4 × 50 m medley relay, she swam in the heats, and the American team finished second in the final, earning her a silver medal. In the 100 m backstroke, Berkoff won the bronze medal. In the mixed 4 × 50 m medley relay, she swam in the heats, and the American team finished second in the final, earning her a silver medal. In the women's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, she swam in the heats, and the American team finished second in the final, earning her a silver medal. In the women's 4 × 50 m freestyle relay, she swam in the heats and the final, winning a gold medal. In the women's 4 × 100 m medley relay, she swam in the heats and the final, helping the American team finish fourth.[5]
2022
Berkoff competed at the 2022 NCAA Division I Championships in March. She won the gold medal in the 100 y backstroke while breaking the NCAA record. She also won the bronze medal in the 100 y freestyle. Berkoff won silver medals in the women's 200 y medley relay and the women's 400 y medley relay. She won a bronze medal in the women's 200 y freestyle relay.[7]
In April, Berkoff competed at the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials. She won the gold medal in the 50 m backstroke, breaking the American record. She also finished fourth in the 100 m backstroke.[5]
In June, Berkoff competed at the 2022 World Championships and won the silver medal in the 50 m backstroke.[5]
2023
Berkoff competed at the 2023 NCAA Division I Championships in March. She won the silver medal in the 100 y backstroke. She also finished fifth in the 50 y freestyle and fifth in the 100 y freestyle. Berkoff won silver medals in the women's 200 y medley relay and the women's 400 y medley relay.[7]
In June, Berkoff competed at the 2023 U.S. National Championships. She won the gold medal in the 50 m backstroke and won the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke.[5]
In July, Berkoff competed at the 2023 World Championships. In the 100 m backstroke, she won the bronze medal. In the mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay, she swam in the heats, and the American team finished third in the final, earning her a bronze medal. In the 50 m backstroke, Berkoff finished fifth. In the women's 4 × 100 m medley relay, she swam in the heats, and the American team finished first in the final, earning her a gold medal.[5]
2024 Paris Olympics
Berkoff won a gold medal, swimming leadoff backstroke in the first preliminary of the 4x100 m medley, finishing her preliminary leg with a time of 58.98, and her preliminary team finishing with a time of 3:56.40. The American gold medal team later swam a world record time of 3:49.63 in the finals without Berkoff, with Australia taking the silver, and China taking the bronze.[8]
Favored to medal in the Women's 100 m backstroke, she won the bronze medal with a time of 57.98. In a close finish, Australia's Kaylee McKeown took the gold in the Olympic record time of 57.33, and America's Regan Smith took the silver with a time of 57.66.[8]
References
- ^ "Katharine Berkoff Profile". worldaquatics.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ Rieder, David. "Like Father, Like Daughter: Katharine Berkoff Establishing Own Impressive Legacy". swimmingworldmagazine.com. March 8, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "Katharine Berkoff". swimcloud.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "Katharine Berkoff Medals". worldaquatics.com. retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Katharine Berkoff Results". worldaquatics.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "July 19, 2024, Tim Peeler, North Carolina State, A Baker's Dozen Olympics". ncsu.edu. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Katharine Berkoff". swimswam.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ a b "Recapping the Performance of the NC State's Swimmers in the 2024 Olympics". packinsider.com. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
External links
- Katharine Berkoff at World Aquatics
- Katharine Berkoff at SwimRankings.net
- Katharine Berkoff at Olympics.com
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