HORACE BOWDEN

1995 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

Horace ‘Wayne’ Bowden started his career with the Brown Swim Club at McDermott pool in Warwick and continued his age group swimming through high school with Little Rhody Aquatic Club in Providence. While participating in age group swimming, Wayne won numerous New England championships in freestyle, backstroke and IM events. He also achieved numerous age group, national Top 25 rankings. He was named Rhode Island Swim Coaches and Officials Association’s Swimmer of The Year in 1983. From 1981-1985 Wayne compiled nineteen Rhode Island Senior individual championships and two RI age group individual championships. He was also a multievent qualifier for Junior Nationals.

Wayne went on to Hendricken High School where he was named to the Journal Bulletin All-State team for three consecutive years in the 500 free, setting the state record along the way in that event. In 1982 and 1983 he received 3 State Top Ten awards.

At Providence College he was an outstanding swimmer earning Providence’s first BIG EAST win in 1986 when he captured the 1650 free in school record time. He still holds the 1650 yard free record at Providence and also broke the 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, 200 & 400 IM records, and was a member of three relays that broke school records. In 1986 he ended the dual meet season with 51 points which was the most a Providence swimmer had compiled in one season, and he did that as a freshman.

After graduation, Wayne spent his career in the Army serving in both Somalia, and currently, in Haiti. He is a loyal member of the swimming alumni from Providence, and continually keeps in touch with both Providence College and Rhode Island Swimming.