John earned swimming letterman in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 and was co-captain in 1974. He was a member of four Big Ten and three NCAA championship teams. He was a freestyler who won 11 Big Ten individual championships and five relay championships, 16 titles in all, and won six NCAA individual championships and two relay championships, eight in all. John won nine AAU championships and won gold medal in 1972 Olympics as member of 800 freestyle relay team and silver medal in the 1968 Olympics in the 1,650 freestyle. He is an American record holder in 500 and 1,650 freestyles and won a Sullivan Award as nation's outstanding amateur athlete in 1970.
