Lilly Kron

Congratulations Caroline “Lilly” Kron on her selection for the 2020 O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club Lifetime Achievement Award!

Lilly joined Ohio Masters in 1981 in her late 40’s, and began the first of her many outstanding years of swimming prowess. That career spanned 32 years of competition and she was still ranking in the USMS Top 10 at age 81. Lilly never had a cross word for anyone at a swim meet and more often she would quietly watch teammates and encourage them one on one.

Many swimming achievements piled up over her long career. Lilly compiled 388 USMS Top 10 Individual swims, mostly in the lengthy and challenging events of 200 Butterfly, 200 Breaststroke, and the 200 and 400 IMs. She teamed up with others to earn 87 Top 10 Relay rankings. Of Lilly’s Top 10 swims, 170 were ranked in the Top 3.

Lilly finished many seasons with the number 1 ranking in the Top 10 which qualified her for 15 USMS All American Awards and 8 more as part of a USMS All American Relay team. Her time in the LCM 200 Breaststroke (3:35.44) set a USMS Women’s 60 to 64 record 1992. Four of her relay teams also set USMS records.

Lilly’s times often ranked in the FINA Top 10 with 37 of her swims ranking in the top 10 in the world, topped off by two #1 finishes in the world where she ranked first in both SCM and LCM 200 Fly in 2009. She was also a part of a #1 ranked SCM 800 Freestyle Relay in 2007.

Lilly was willing to serve the team outside of the pool as well. She was Ohio Masters’ President from 1990 to1994, and then served as the LE LMSC Chair from 1998 to 2002. She transferred to Treasurer for the LE LMSC from 2007 until 2018. In this role, she was very often helpful to me in answering my questions for the Top 10 Patch account, usually responding with, “Let’s just keep things simple,” and then found a way to apply that idea to whatever the issue was.

When speaking of her time with Ohio Masters, Lilly replied, “Unbelievable how time has passed. I have very good memories and enjoyed every minute of it.”

Lilly’s entrance into masters swimming might have been delayed as she was also an avid skier. Locally she was a member of the Suburban Ski Club. One activity she organized for them was Ski Fashion Show for her club with apparel from Geiger’s Sport and Ski Haus where she also worked. Other times, the skiers would get together at Das Schnitzel Haus where she may have felt a bit of home given her European roots.

We congratulate you on your esteemed swimming career and contributions to O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club!