RADMILOVIC, PAUL (1886 - 1968), swimmer

Born 5 March 1886 in Cardiff, of a Greek father and Irish mother, but he lived most of his life at Weston-super-Mare. He competed in five Olympic Games from 1908 to 1928 and won gold medals in three of them - for water-polo in 1908, 1912, 1920 and as a member of the British relay team in 1908. Had World War I not prevented the Games being held in 1916, Raddy - as he was called - must have won more gold medals and participated in more Olympics than any other swimmer. He won the Welsh 100 yds. championship 15 times between 1901 and 1922. In 1929, when he was 43 years old, he won the Welsh 440 and 880 yds. championships. In 1967 he was honoured by the Hall of Fame at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one of the few British competitors to receive one of the principal honours of the swimming world. He died 29 September 1968.

For 80 years Radmilovic was Britain's most successful Olympian until Steve Redgrave won a fifth gold medal in 2000.

Author

• Bedwyr Lewis Jones, (1933 - 1992)

Sources

• Pat Besford, Encyclopaedia of Swimming (London 1971)(1971)

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Paulo Radmilovic

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q551257

Published date: 2001

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