Murray Rose facts for kids
Rose in 2009
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| Full name | Iain Murray Rose | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 January 1939 Birmingham, England |
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| Died | 15 April 2012 (aged 73) Sydney, Australia |
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| Education | Cranbrook School, Sydney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Freestyle |
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| College team | University of Southern California | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Bondi Swimming Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | c. 1966 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Iain Murray Rose, AM (born January 6, 1939 – died April 15, 2012) was an amazing Australian swimmer. He also worked as an actor, sports commentator, and in marketing. Murray Rose was a six-time Olympic medalist, winning four gold, one silver, and one bronze medal.
At one point, he held the world records for the 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter freestyle races. He first competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics when he was just 17 years old. There, he won three Olympic gold medals. Four years later, at 21, he added three more Olympic medals to his collection at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Murray Rose's Early Life
Iain Murray Rose was born on January 6, 1939, in Birmingham, England. His parents were Eileen and Ian Rose. When World War II started, his family moved to Australia in 1940. Murray was just a baby then.
He started swimming when he was a young boy. He went to Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. He often swam at Redleaf Pool, a saltwater pool in Double Bay. In 2012, this pool was renamed Murray Rose Pool to honor him.
Olympic Swimming Career
Becoming an Olympic Champion
When he was 17, Murray Rose competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He won gold medals in the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle races. He also helped his team win gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Winning three gold medals in his home country made him a national hero. He was the youngest Olympian ever to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
Studying and Competing in the US
After the 1956 Olympics, Rose moved to the United States. He received a scholarship to swim at the University of Southern California (USC). He studied Business and Communications there.
He kept competing in swimming while at USC. He graduated in 1962. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, Rose won another gold medal in the 400m freestyle. He also earned a silver medal in the 1500m freestyle and a bronze in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. This brought his total Olympic medals to six!
Commonwealth Games and World Records
Besides his Olympic success, Murray Rose won four gold medals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia.
He set 15 world records during his career. One of his most famous records was in the 800-meter freestyle in 1962. This record stood for four years until Semyon Belits-Geiman broke it in 1966. Even after retiring from professional swimming, Rose continued to compete as a masters swimmer.
Life After Swimming
Working in Media and Sports
During the 1960s, Murray Rose also tried acting. He appeared in two Hollywood movies and made guest appearances on TV shows.
Rose also worked as a sports commentator for Australian and US television networks. He covered seven Olympic Games in a row!
From 1988 to 1994, he was a vice-president at California Sports Marketing. He helped with marketing and sponsorships for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
In 1994, he moved back to Sydney with his family. He worked for Sports Marketing and Management. This company handled marketing for the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.
Honors and Recognition
In 2000, an avenue at Sydney Olympic Park was named after him. He was also one of the eight people who carried the Olympic Flag at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney.
In 2010, Rose led a group on a trip to Gallipoli. They even swam 4.5 km from Europe to Asia across the Dardanelles.
In 2012, Redleaf Pool in Double Bay, Sydney, was officially renamed Murray Rose Pool in his honor. In 2022, Cranbrook School named its new swimming complex the Murray Rose Aquatic & Fitness Centre.
Film and Television Appearances
Murray Rose made his acting debut in the 1962 Australian TV drama My Three Angels. He also appeared in an episode of Adventure Unlimited.
He starred in the 1964 surf movie Ride the Wild Surf and in Ice Station Zebra in 1968. He also made guest appearances on TV shows like Dr Kildare and The Patty Duke Show.
Helping Others
Murray Rose was involved with several charities. He was on the Board of the Mary MacKillop Foundation. He was also a Patron of Rainbow Club Australia. This charity helps children with special needs explore their abilities through sports and fun activities.
In 2012, Rainbow Club Australia renamed their yearly swimming event "The Murray Rose's Malabar Magic Ocean Swim" in his memory. This event offers 1 km and 2.4 km swims.
Awards and Books
Special Awards
Murray Rose received several important awards for his contributions to swimming and Australia:
- He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2000.
- He also received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.
- In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal.
Books About Murray Rose
Murray Rose's father, Ian F Rose, wrote a book called Faith, Love, and Seaweed. It was about Murray's childhood and his special diet.
In 2013, Murray Rose's own memoir, Life is Worth Swimming, was published after he passed away. He wrote it before he became sick. The book shares his thoughts and experiences as an Olympic swimmer.
Personal Life
Murray Rose married ballerina Jodi Wintz on October 20, 1988. Their son was born in 1990. He had also been married before to Bobbie Whitby and adopted her daughter.
When he was a swimmer, Rose was a strict vegetarian. This earned him the nickname "The Seaweed Streak." Later in life, he added meat to his diet.
Murray Rose passed away from leukaemia (a type of cancer) on April 15, 2012. He was 73 years old and died in Sydney, New South Wales.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Ride the Wild Surf | Swag | |
| 1968 | Ice Station Zebra | Lt. George Mills | |
| 1993 | Dreamrider | Father OGorman | |
| 2003 | Swimming Upstream | Reporter #3 |
See also
In Spanish: Murray Rose para niños
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- World record progression 400 metres freestyle
- World record progression 800 metres freestyle
- World record progression 1500 metres freestyle
- World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
