Candy Costie
She captured America's first Olympic gold in solo synchronized swimming, turning water ballet into a medal-winning art form.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American synchronized swimmer·Birthday: March 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Candy Costie emerged from the University of Arizona's swim program to define an era in a sport then struggling for Olympic recognition. Her moment arrived at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where synchronized swimming debuted as a medal event. With precise, graceful routines, she claimed the inaugural solo gold, a victory that validated the athleticism and artistry of the discipline for a global audience. That win was a career pinnacle, but not an endpoint. Costie smoothly transitioned from the pool to the broadcast booth, providing expert commentary for swimming events. Later, she shifted focus to the world of real estate development, applying the discipline of her athletic career to a new field in the Merrill Company. Her journey from pioneering athlete to business professional reflects a versatile drive.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Candy was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Candy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Candy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in the solo synchronized swimming event at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
- Competed for and helped elevate the synchronized swimming program at the University of Arizona.
- Successfully transitioned to a career as a sports broadcaster following her athletic retirement.
- Worked in real estate development with her husband's firm, the Merrill Company.
Did You Know?
Her Olympic gold medal from 1984 was part of synchronized swimming's debut as a full medal sport.
She is known by her married name, Candace Costie Merrill, since 1995.
She provided television commentary for major swimming competitions after her competitive career.
“Our success came from countless hours of matching each other's movements in the water.”
