Cecil Healy, Olympic swimming gold, silver and bronze medallist

Biographical note: In the Stockholm Olympics, 1912, Healy entered the 100m event with fellow Australian Bill Longworth and American Duke Kahanamoku. All three qualified for the semi-final, with Kahanamoku clearly the fastest. Healy and Longworth then qualified from the first semifinal, but the three Americans, who were scheduled to qualify in the second semi-final did not, due an error by their team management. However, Healy intervened, saying if he was to win it would be against the best in the world. He assisted in an appeal to allow the Americans to swim another special race in order to qualify for the final. Despite protestation from other delegations, the Americans were allowed a separate race, with Kahanamoku qualifying for the final. In the final, Kahanamoku won easily, by 1.2s, over a bodylength, with Healy in second place. The two became lifelong friends and Kahanamoku lifted Healy's hand higher than his own in the victory salute on the dais. Healy invited the Duke to Australia and board riding was introduced to Australia. References: Wikipedia & Bombora - The Story of Australian Surfing (ABC Television)

Format: Photograph

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