SWIMMING: As the Australian swimmers gather for their pre-Olympic camp ahead of the highly anticipated competition in Rio, and with it being the 120th anniversary of the Australian Olympic Team, we thought it was worth reflecting on Australia’s most successful event.
Australia’s Olympic history since 1896 is rich with heroes and tradition. This is certainly the case for our most successful event, the men’s 1500m freestyle, where we have won 25 medals, including eight gold.
It has made household names such as Frank Beaurepaire, Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton, Murray Rose, John Konrads, Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett. Our proud tradition continues in Rio when we are represented by Victorian’s Mack Horton and Jack McLoughlin.
It was believed until recently our first representatives in this classic distance were Frank Beaurepaire and Frank Springfield in 1908, but it was only discovered in 2008 Australia had a competitor and medallist in 1904, when the event was conducted over a mile. Francis Gailey won bronze in the 1904 St Louis Olympics and for over 100 years was credited as an American. But eight years ago it was confirmed he was born and raised Australian.
The son of a prominent Brisbane Architect, he won medals in the 1902 Australian swimming championships. In February 1904 he travelled to the US and joined the Olympic Club of San Francisco. After winning bronze in the Olympics, he broke world records. He travelled back to Australia but would eventually settle permanently in America in 1906, becoming a naturalised American.
A 17-year-old Beaurepaire won bronze in 1908, the start of an illustrious career in sport, sports administration, politics and business. In 1911 he took a break from competitive swimming and worked as a swimming instructor, which resulted in him being barred from the 1912 Olympics as a professional. That decision was reversed in 1914. He served in the infantry in World War I where he was gassed and suffered trench fever. He returned to swimming, winning bronze medals in the 1500m at the 1920 and 1924 Games. In 1922 he started a very successful company Beaurepaires Tyre Company and Olympic Tyre and Rubber Company. He went into politics in the 1940s and was Lord Mayor of Melbourne. In 1949 he helped Melbourne win the 1956 Olympics, but he died in 1956 before the Games. He was knighted in 1942.
Between Beaurepaire’s three bronze medals in 1908, 1920 and 1924, Sydney’s Harold Hardwick won the 1912 1500 metres freestyle, his third medal at the Games.
In 1924, 16-year-old Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton (pictured) defeated Beaurepaire and the favourite Sweden’s Arne Borg in 1924 to win gold, slicing a minute from the world record. He won silver in 1928 and missed the podium in 1932.
Between Games he worked on the family’s land in Gunnedah and later his own property in Goulburn. The Sydney Domain Baths were renamed in his honour.
After John Marshall won silver in 1948, Australian went on a golden run. They won three consecutive titles between 1956 and 1964, including five of the nine medals on offer. They also won a medal at seven consecutive Games from 1956 to 1980.
Murray Rose (pictured)won four gold medals at the 1956 and 1960 Games including the 1956 1500m freestyle title. Aiming to defend his title in 1960, he placed second to another Australian John Konrads.
This would become a trend in the future where Australian’s trying to defend their title were defeated by compatriots. Yet another Australian would win in 1964, when versatile Bob Windle won in Tokyo. He was also a medallist on the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay and at the following Games contested the 100m and 200m freestyle events.
Australian medallists over the next four Games would be Greg Brough (bronze 1968), Graham Windeatt (silver 1972), Steve Holland (bronze 1976) and Max Metzker (bronze 1980).
After missing the podium in 1984 and 1988, Australia dominated with four consecutive gold including three silver medals.
Kieren Perkins defeated teammate Glen Housman in Barcelona in a world record time. In 1996, Perkins only qualified for the final by 0.2 seconds, but went on to win, defeating another Australian Daniel Kowalski. At the Sydney Olympics, it was a match race between the two host nation favourites. Perkins was looking for a third consecutive gold and world record holder Grant Hackett was looking to take the Olympic crown. A stunning 95% of Australian household televisions were tuned into the race and saw Hackett lead from the first stroke and defeat Perkins by five seconds.
Hackett would defend his title in Athens his third medal at the 2004 Games. He had been undefeated over 1500 metres between 1997 and 2006, but had placed just seventh in 2007 at the world championships in Melbourne. Aiming to become the first person to win three consecutive titles (as Perkins had tried), Hackett arrived in Beijing confident and his heat form was excellent. Early in the final it was a battle between Hackett and Canadian Ryan Cochrane, but over the later stages, Tunisian Oussama Mellouli caught and passed the pair to win, with Hackett held on for silver
Since our first representation in 1904, we have fielded 34 competitors, winning 25 medals and are the leading nation in the event ahead of the USA with 19 medals, including seven gold.
The men’s 1500m freestyle heats will be held in Rio on the morning of day 7 (Friday August 12) and the final will be held on the night of day 8 (Saturday 13 August in Rio and Sunday morning in Australia). Horton and McLoughlin will be wearing the gold cap and battling themselves and their competitors in the gruelling tactical 30-lap challenge. Horton is ranked second on qualifying times and looks best placed to add to Australia’s success starting back in 1904.
Australia’s Olympic medallists men’s 1500m freestyle
1904 Bronze Frank Gailey
1908 Bronze Frank Beaurepaire
1912 Bronze Harold Hardwick
1920 Bronze Frank Beaurepaire
1924 Gold Andrew Charlton
1924 Bronze Frank Beaurepaire
1928 Silver Andrew Charlton
1948 Silver John Marshall
1956 Gold Murray Rose
1960 Gold John Konrads
1960 Silver Murray Rose
1964 Gold Robert Windle
1964 Bronze Allan Wood
1968 Bronze Gregory Brough
1972 Silver Graham Windeatt
1976 Bronze Stephen Holland
1980 Bronze Maxwell Metzker
1992 Gold Kieren Perkins
1992 Silver Glen Housman
1996 Gold Kieren Perkins
1996 Silver Daniel Kowalski
2000 Gold Grant Hackett
2000 Silver Kieren Perkins
2004 Gold Grant Hackett
2008 Silver Grant Hackett
David Tarbotton
olympics.com.au
