Allan Wood
Encyclopedia
Allan Wood was an Australia
n freestyle
swimmer of the 1960s, who won two bronze medals in the 400 m and 1500 m freestyle events at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
. He spent his entire career in the shadow of fellow Australian distance freestyle swimmers Murray Rose
and Bob Windle
who won Olympic gold medals.
Coming from Wollongong, Wood made his debut at the 1960 Summer Olympics
in Rome
, where he was a member of the 4x200 m freestyle relay team, swimming in the heats. Although the team of John Devitt
, John Konrads
, David Dickson
, Rose
proceeded to claim bronze in the final, Wood was not awarded a medal, as heat swimmers were not entitled to one until 1984.
Wood had been expected to do well at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth
, as he was the Australian 880yd freestyle champion. However, a last minute public appeal brought Rose back from the United States
, where he was studying and competing in the US collegiate system. Wood was relegated to silver in the 440yd freestyle behind Rose and bronze in the 1650yd freestyle, behind Rose and Windle. Wood won a gold medal in the 4x220yd freestyle relay, alongside Windle, Rose and Anthony Strahan, setting a world record in the process.
Prior to the Tokyo Olympics, Wood's coach, Don Talbot
, strove to change Wood's technique, slowing down the stroke rate, but increasing the deepness of the strokes. This paid dividends at the Olympics when Wood, who had never swum faster than 4 m 20 in the 400 m freestyle, dropped his personal best to 4 m 15.1s, to claim bronze behind the United States
' Don Schollander
and East Germany's Frank Wiegand
. In the 1500 m Wood posted a time of 17 m 07.7s, a 20s drop in his personal best, in a race won by Windle in Olympic record time. Among the swimmers which Wood defeated was Roy Saari
, the world record holder in the event. Wood narrowly missed a third medal when he, Windle, Dickson and Peter Doak
finished fourth in the 4x200 m freestyle relay. He retired after the Games and became a swimming coach.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer of the 1960s, who won two bronze medals in the 400 m and 1500 m freestyle events at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He spent his entire career in the shadow of fellow Australian distance freestyle swimmers Murray Rose
Murray Rose
Iain Murray Rose AM was born on 6 January 1939 in Nairn, Scotland, but he moved to Australia with his family at an early age after World War II. He took up swimming as a boy and was an Olympic Games champion at age 17....
and Bob Windle
Bob Windle
Robert George "Bob" Windle is a former Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won four Olympic medals, including an individual gold medal...
who won Olympic gold medals.
Coming from Wollongong, Wood made his debut at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he was a member of the 4x200 m freestyle relay team, swimming in the heats. Although the team of John Devitt
John Devitt
John Thomas Devitt was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won a gold medal in the 100 m freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He won in controversial circumstances, being awarded the gold medal despite the timekeepers recording a slower time than the silver medallist...
, John Konrads
John Konrads
John Konrads is an retired Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won the 1500 m freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. In his career, he set 26 individual world records, and after his swimming career ended, was the Australasian director of L'Oréal, as well as campaigning...
, David Dickson
David Dickson (swimmer)
David Dickson was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won three bronze medals in freestyle and medley relay events at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Rome and Tokyo respectively.-1960 Summer Olympics:Dickson was selected to make his international debut at...
, Rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
proceeded to claim bronze in the final, Wood was not awarded a medal, as heat swimmers were not entitled to one until 1984.
Wood had been expected to do well at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, as he was the Australian 880yd freestyle champion. However, a last minute public appeal brought Rose back from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he was studying and competing in the US collegiate system. Wood was relegated to silver in the 440yd freestyle behind Rose and bronze in the 1650yd freestyle, behind Rose and Windle. Wood won a gold medal in the 4x220yd freestyle relay, alongside Windle, Rose and Anthony Strahan, setting a world record in the process.
Prior to the Tokyo Olympics, Wood's coach, Don Talbot
Don Talbot
Don Talbot OBE is an Olympic swimming coach from Australia. He has coached national teams for Canada and Australia.-Canada:Since the 1950s Talbot has coached Olympic champions and World Record holders for a thirty year period...
, strove to change Wood's technique, slowing down the stroke rate, but increasing the deepness of the strokes. This paid dividends at the Olympics when Wood, who had never swum faster than 4 m 20 in the 400 m freestyle, dropped his personal best to 4 m 15.1s, to claim bronze behind the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Don Schollander
Don Schollander
Donald Arthur Schollander is a former Olympic swimmer for the United States. He won total of five gold medals and one silver medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and East Germany's Frank Wiegand
Frank Wiegand
Frank Wiegand is a German former swimmer, Olympic medalist and previous world record holder. He was born in Annaberg...
. In the 1500 m Wood posted a time of 17 m 07.7s, a 20s drop in his personal best, in a race won by Windle in Olympic record time. Among the swimmers which Wood defeated was Roy Saari
Roy Saari
Roy Allen Saari was a freestyle and medley swimmer from the United States, who won two Olympic medals .-References:* * *...
, the world record holder in the event. Wood narrowly missed a third medal when he, Windle, Dickson and Peter Doak
Peter Doak
Peter Doak was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics....
finished fourth in the 4x200 m freestyle relay. He retired after the Games and became a swimming coach.