Paul Radmilovic

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Paul Radmilovic

Paul "Raddy" Radmilovic (born March 5, 1886 in Cardiff , † September 29, 1968 in Weston-super-Mare ) was a British water polo player and swimmer who won four gold medals at the Olympic Games.

Radmilovic, whose father was from Macedonia and whose mother was from Ireland , was born in Wales . He competed in international swimming and water polo competitions at the age of 16. In 1906 he took part in the unofficial Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens . There he was fourth in the 100 m freestyle and fifth in the 400 m freestyle.

At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London , Radmilovic was one of the stars of the event. He won the gold medal with the British water polo players who dominated this sport at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 100 m freestyle, 400 m freestyle and 1500 m freestyle he failed in the semifinals, but won a second gold medal with the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. Four years later, at the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912 , he repeated his success with the water polo team and became Olympic champion again. He also entered the 100 m freestyle again, but retired in the prelims.

After the First World War interrupted his sporting career, he again took part in the water polo tournament at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp and won his fourth gold medal. At the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924 , the British failed in the preliminary round. At the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Radmilovic and his teammates lost in the bronze medal game against the water polo players from the USA .

Radmilovic won nine British swimming championships over a period of 18 years. He won his last national title at the age of 39; He ended his swimming career when he was 45 years old. He then played golf and soccer for several years . Even when he was almost 80 years old, he swam at least a quarter mile (400 m) every day. In 1967 he was inducted into the international swimming pool 's hall of fame .

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