Les's Story
1889 – 1975
Leslie Boardman arrived at Stockholm 1912 as the fourth-string Australian swimmer. Billy Longworth, Cecil Healy and Harold Hardwick were ranked ahead of him. He made it to the second round in the 100 metres freestyle. In the 4 x 200 metres relay, Boardman became an integral team member because Longworth had succumbed to an ear injury and could not swim. The team represented Australasia, as the fourth member after Healy, Hardwick and Boardman was the New Zealander Malcolm Champion. Champion was the flag bearer for the Australasian contingent at the opening ceremony. Boardman swam third and was able to hand a handy lead to Hardwick, who swam the anchor leg against the mighty Duke Kahanamoku of the United States. Hardwick brought the team home in a world record of 10 min 11.6 sec. The next time Australia won this event was at Melbourne 1956, courtesy of the quartet of Jon Henricks, John Devitt, Murray Rose and Kevin O'Halloran.
