His death was confirmed by USA Diving and the Mission Viejo Nadadores, one of the prominent diving clubs where he coached during his illustrious career.

“Ron O’Brien was a towering figure in the world of diving, whose passion, dedication, and unparalleled success inspired generations of athletes and coaches,” said USA Diving President Lee Michaud. “Ron’s impact, however, extended far beyond the pool deck, as he embodied the spirit of excellence and integrity in every aspect of his work. Ron was a great coach and a better human being. The diving community has lost a true legend, and his legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.”

Image Source: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame inductee Ron O'Brien speaks during the Class of 2019 Induction Ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado (Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images for USOPC)

O’Brien’s own diving career included winning an NCAA championship with Ohio State in 1959 and narrowly missing the U.S. Olympic team at the 1960 Trials. Reflecting on the disappointment of falling short, he once shared that it drove him to excel as a coach: “That bitter disappointment lit a fire in me to become the best diving coach that I could be,” O’Brien said during his 2019 induction into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame.

From 1968 to 1996, O’Brien served as a coach for the U.S. Olympic diving team, guiding athletes to remarkable achievements. Jennifer Chandler earned his first Olympic gold as a coach in the springboard event at the 1976 Games. Two years later, O’Brien began coaching Greg Louganis, who described him as “the god of diving” in his 2014 documentary Back on Board.

“Ron is the one who got me. He knew that I was a performer,” Louganis recalled. “When I knew that I was in good shape, he’d say, ‘Just keep dancing.’”

Under O’Brien’s guidance, Louganis made history at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by winning both the springboard and platform events, a feat not accomplished since 1928. His performance on the platform, where he broke the 700-point barrier, became what Louganis called the “most shining moment” of his career. As a gesture of gratitude, Louganis later gave O’Brien that gold medal.

Following physical setbacks, O’Brien recalled asking Louganis if he wanted to continue competing, to which Louganis replied, “We’ve worked too long and too hard to not continue.”

Image Source: American Olympic diver Greg Louganis competing in the 3m springboard preliminaries during the LA 1984 Olympic Games. Louganis went on to win gold in both the 3m springboard and 10m platform events (Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

During the springboard preliminaries in Seoul, Louganis struck his head on the board but completed the competition, winning gold in both the springboard and platform events for a second consecutive Games. O’Brien’s calm encouragement in that moment stuck with Louganis. “Ron said, ‘Well, hockey players get hit in the face with a puck and get 50 stitches and then come out and play the rest of the game. You only have four stitches, and you only have to do two dives.’ We both laughed,” Louganis wrote in his autobiography.

Beyond Louganis, O’Brien coached other elite divers, including Michele Mitchell, who earned silver medals in platform diving in 1984 and 1988, and Mary Ellen Clark, a platform bronze medallist in 1992 and 1996.