Doug Russell was very busy in 1967, winning two golds at the Pan-American Games. At one meet in Tokyo, he set world records in the 100m backstroke, the 100m butterfly and the medley relay He earned a share of a second world medley relay record at the Olympics the following year Russell attended the University of Texas at Arlington, and won the AAU outdoor 100 metre butterfly in 1969. He was 1968 NCAA champion in the 100 yard butterfly. Raised in Midland, Texas, the pool in which he started swimming was later renamed the Douglas Russell Swimming Pool. Russell was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1985. He stayed in the sport coaching youth swimming in his native Texas.