Sterkel, Jill

Gillian "Jill" Ann Sterkel, daughter of Jim Sterkel, was born 27 May 1961 in Hacienda Heights, California.

An American competitive swimmer, Jill won four medals in three Olympic Games: 

• 1976 - gold, 4x100-meter freestyle relay
• 1984 - gold, 4x100-meter freestyle relay
• 1988 - bronze, 4x100-meter freestyle relay
• 1988 - bronze, 50-meter freestyle

She was also a bronze medalist at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships where she served on the U.S. National Water Polo Team.

Sterkel went on to serve as the head coach of the swimming and diving team at the University of Texas at Austin from 1993 to 2006.

Her Volga German ancestors come from the colony of Norka.