Posted on: Saturday, July 2, 2005

1922-2005
Charlotte Costello, masters swimmer

Advertiser Staff

Charlotte Costello, an elite masters swimmer who was inducted into the Hawai'i Swimming Hall of Fame in 2003, died in New York on June 26. She was 82.

Costello won many National Masters Swimming Championships, held four world records and captured numerous national records for her age group while living in Honolulu.

She was selected as a member of the Masters All-American Team for 17 consecutive years, and won six Masters International Swimming Championships.

"She was a wonderful, positive and enthusiastic swimmer," said friend Diane Stowell, who was inducted into the Hawai'i Swimming Hall of Fame with Costello in 2003.

"She was just fun to have around because she was so competitive. It didn't matter how old she was, she was always willing to try and do anything in the swimming world."

In 1984, Costello won five gold medals in the women's 60-64 age group at the U.S. Masters Short Court Swimming Championships at Industry Hills, Calif., capturing the 100-yard breaststroke, 100 individual medley, 100 fly, 50 breast and 50 fly.

One year later, Costello won four events at the Masters Long Course Nationals at Providence, R.I., taking the 50- and 100-meter butterfly races, and the 50 and 100 breaststroke races in the 60-64 age group. She set a national mark in the 100 breaststroke.

Costello was born Nov. 29, 1922. Several years ago, she moved to New York to be closer to her family. She is survived by husband, John; five sons, John, Jim, Bill, Kevin and Tom; two sisters; two brothers; and nine grandchildren.