Gary Chapman (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Gary Arthur Chapman (17 September 1937 - 23 September 1978) was an Australia
n freestyle swimmer of the 1950s who won a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
. Although he had set a world record in the 220yd freestyle, he was surprisingly omitted from the 4x200m freestyle relay team which won the gold medal.
Born in Brighton-Le-Sands
, Sydney
, Chapman first came to prominence in the 1952 Australian Championships, at the age of 14, when he cut 2.9s off the 440 yd freestyle Australian record. In 1954, he sliced 12.8s off the 880 yd record in qualifying for the Australian team at the 1954 Empire Games
in Vancouver
, where he won gold in the 440 yd freestyle and bronze in the 1650 yd freestyle. He also claimed gold in the 4×220 yd freestyle relay. In his era, the 220 and 880 yd freestyle was not contested as individual events.
Due to the rise of fellow Australian Murray Rose
in distance freestyle swimming, Chapman switched to competing in the 110 yd and 220 yd freestyle events in a bid to increase his chances of success at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne
. Prior to the games, he defeated team-mate Jon Henricks
twice in the 220 yd freestyle, setting a world record on one of those occasions.
Due to the 200 m freestyle not being an Olympic event, Chapman was forced to concentrate on the 100 m freestyle. He won the bronze medal in 100 m freestyle, finishing behind Henricks and another Australian, John Devitt
. As the 220 yd freestyle world record, Chapman was snubbed by the selectors in the 4×200 m freestyle relay, only swimming in the qualifying heats, but being replaced by Kevin O'Halloran
in the final, where the Australians won the gold medal in a world record time. Under the rules of the time, heat swimmers were not entitled to gold medals.
Chapman continued in the sport despite this until the 1958 Empire Games
in Cardiff
, where he was edged out for gold in the 110 yd freestyle by Devitt, and managed to come only fifth in the 440 yd freestyle behind fellow Australian John Konrads
. Chapman collected a gold in the 4×220 yd freestyle relay.
Chapman retired after the 1958 Games. In 1978 he and a friend died after a boat belonging to him capsized near Little Bay, New South Wales
, in the south of Sydney. Their bodies were never recovered.
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 swimmer of the 1950s who won a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. Although he had set a world record in the 220yd freestyle, he was surprisingly omitted from the 4x200m freestyle relay team which won the gold medal.
Born in Brighton-Le-Sands
Brighton-Le-Sands, New South Wales
Brighton-Le-Sands , is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Brighton-Le-Sands is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, on the western shore of Botany Bay...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Chapman first came to prominence in the 1952 Australian Championships, at the age of 14, when he cut 2.9s off the 440 yd freestyle Australian record. In 1954, he sliced 12.8s off the 880 yd record in qualifying for the Australian team at the 1954 Empire Games
1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 30 July-7 August 1954. These were the first games since the name change from British Empire Games took effect in 1952....
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where he won gold in the 440 yd freestyle and bronze in the 1650 yd freestyle. He also claimed gold in the 4×220 yd freestyle relay. In his era, the 220 and 880 yd freestyle was not contested as individual events.
Due to the rise of fellow Australian 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....
in distance freestyle swimming, Chapman switched to competing in the 110 yd and 220 yd freestyle events in a bid to increase his chances of success at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Prior to the games, he defeated team-mate Jon Henricks
Jon Henricks
John Malcolm Henricks started his swimming career as a distance swimmer, scoring his first real successes in 1952 when he came in 3rd in the Australian 1500 meters, 2nd in the 800, and won the 400 meters. The distance work proved too arduous, perhaps due to a prolonged ear infection that kept...
twice in the 220 yd freestyle, setting a world record on one of those occasions.
Due to the 200 m freestyle not being an Olympic event, Chapman was forced to concentrate on the 100 m freestyle. He won the bronze medal in 100 m freestyle, finishing behind Henricks and another Australian, 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...
. As the 220 yd freestyle world record, Chapman was snubbed by the selectors in the 4×200 m freestyle relay, only swimming in the qualifying heats, but being replaced by Kevin O'Halloran
Kevin O'Halloran
Kevin O'Halloran was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1950s, who won a gold medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. The first Western Australian to win Olympic gold, O'Halloran learnt to swim in his home town of Katanning...
in the final, where the Australians won the gold medal in a world record time. Under the rules of the time, heat swimmers were not entitled to gold medals.
Chapman continued in the sport despite this until the 1958 Empire Games
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, capital of Wales from 18–26 July 1958.Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including, for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, where he was edged out for gold in the 110 yd freestyle by Devitt, and managed to come only fifth in the 440 yd freestyle behind fellow Australian 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...
. Chapman collected a gold in the 4×220 yd freestyle relay.
Chapman retired after the 1958 Games. In 1978 he and a friend died after a boat belonging to him capsized near Little Bay, New South Wales
Little Bay, New South Wales
Little Bay is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Little Bay is located 14 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Randwick....
, in the south of Sydney. Their bodies were never recovered.