Paul Radmilovic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paul Radmilovic

Radmilovic in 1909
Personal information
Nickname(s)	"Raddy"
Born	(1886-03-05)5 March 1886 Cardiff, Wales
Died	29 September 1968(1968-09-29) (aged 82) Weston-super-Mare, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb; 12.0 st)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, water polo
Club	Welsh Amateur Swimming Association Weston-super-Mare Water Polo Club
Medal record Representing Great Britain Olympic Games Men's water polo Gold 1908 London Water polo team Gold 1912 Stockholm Water polo team Gold 1920 Antwerp Water polo team Men's swimming Gold 1908 London 4×200 m freestyle

Paolo Francesco Radmilovic (born March 5, 1886 – died September 29, 1968) was a famous Welsh water polo player and competitive swimmer. He had roots from Croatia and Ireland. Radmilovic represented Great Britain in four Summer Olympic Games. He won an amazing four Olympic gold medals during his 22-year Olympic career.

He won four gold medals in three Olympic Games in a row. This was a record for a British Olympic athlete. It stood until Sir Steve Redgrave won his fifth gold medal in Sydney in 2000. In 1928, Radmilovic was the first person to compete for Britain in five Olympic Games. This record lasted until 1976, when fencer Bill Hoskyns competed in his sixth Games.

Early Life and Family Background

Radmilovic was born in the Tiger Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. He was the third son of Antun Radmilović. His father came from Dubrovnik and moved to Cardiff in the 1860s. Antun became the owner of the Glastonbury Arms pub.

Paul's mother was born in Cardiff. Her parents were immigrants from Ireland. The Radmilovic family also owned another pub, the Bute Dock Tavern. His family on his father's side came from Makarska. His grandparents, from Makarska and Dubrovnik, lived in Dubrovnik.

Amazing Swimming Career

Radmilovic first played for the Wales national water polo team when he was just 15 years old in 1901. At that time, he was the youngest international player ever in the sport. He competed in international swimming and water polo for almost 30 years. He was still swimming actively even in his seventies. He was also good at golf and football.

He won his first Amateur Swimming Association title in 1907. This was for a 5-mile open water race in the River Thames. Two years later, he showed how good he was at many types of swimming. He won the 100 yards freestyle race. He won the English Long Distance Championships in 1907 and again in 1925. He was 39 years old for his 1925 win. A year later, he won the English One Mile Championship at age 40.

A reporter for the 'Swimming Times' wrote about his 1925 victory:

• "Until last year he had never held the 1 mile championship of England."
• "But at the East India docks he had quite a comfortable win."
• "Raddy believes in careful and systematic training."
• "So before the race, he has some idea as to what the final result would be."
• "Before the mile championship, he is credited with saying: I shall beat 24 minutes, 30 seconds."
• "He won easily in 24.22."
• "How many of the younger generation could demonstrate such judgment of pace over a distance?"

In total, he won nine titles over 19 years. These wins were in races of very different lengths. His wins at the Welsh national championship covered an even longer time. He won a 100 yards title at age 15 in 1901. He then won a 440 yards race at age 43 in 1929. These two wins show how long his career lasted.

Olympic Achievements

Radmilovic's Olympic journey started at the 1906 Intercalated Games. He finished 4th in the 100 metres freestyle. He was 5th in the 400 metres event. He did not finish the 1 mile race.

In 1908, he won a gold medal. This was with the British water polo team. They beat Belgium 9–2 in the final game. Radmilovic scored two goals in that final. Two days later, he joined the 4×200 metre relay swimming team. Another swimmer had to drop out because of illness. Radmilovic swam the second part of a very exciting race. Hungary seemed to be winning easily. But their last swimmer, Zoltán Halmay, started to lose consciousness in the water. Halmay struggled to finish. However, Henry Taylor had already touched the wall four seconds earlier. This gave Great Britain the victory. Radmilovic also competed in three individual freestyle swimming events. But he did not reach the final in those.

Radmilovic moved to Weston-super-Mare in 1904. All his Olympic successes happened while he lived there. He was a dedicated member of the local swimming and water polo clubs.

He won his third gold medal as part of the British water polo team. This was at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. The British team defeated Austria 8–0 in the final.

Radmilovic's fourth and last gold medal came at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. This win happened in an exciting way. Great Britain and Belgium had both played well to reach the final. The game itself was very close. Radmilovic scored a goal that put the British team ahead 3–2. When the game ended, angry Belgian fans tried to attack the British players. Armed police had to protect the team as they left the pool.

He also competed for the British team in the 1924 and 1928 Olympic water polo tournaments. He did not win any medals in these Games. He was 42 years old when his Olympic career ended.

His record of four gold medals was the most for any British Olympian. This record stood until Sir Steve Redgrave equaled it. Sir Steve then broke it by winning his fifth title at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

If you include the 1906 Intercalated Games, Radmilovic competed in six Olympic Games. It was not until 1976 that another athlete, fencer Bill Hoskyns, competed in six Games for Great Britain.

Radmilovic was the first athlete to compete in water polo at five Olympics. He is also one of ten male players who won three Olympic gold medals in water polo.

Life After the Olympics

After his Olympic career, Paul Radmilovic ran the Imperial Hotel in Weston-super-Mare, England. He owned it for many years. He was still swimming 400 meters a day when he was 78 years old.

In 1967, he was added to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He was the second water polo player to be honored this way. He was also the third British person to be inducted.

Radmilovic passed away in Weston-super-Mare, England, in 1968. He is buried in Weston Cemetery. His son took over running the hotel. He continued to display his father's large collection of trophies.

Lasting Legacy

He was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

To celebrate 100 years since his two gold medals in 1908, a special plaque was placed on the Cardiff International Pool. The 2012 London Olympics Committee and the Welsh Assembly paid for this honor.

A blue plaque was unveiled on March 30, 2017. The Mayor of Weston-super-Mare, Cllr Alan Peak, and Paul Radmilovic's grandson, Simon Siddall, revealed it. The plaque is on the wall of The Imperial hotel in Weston-super-Mare.

Images for kids

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  The blue plaque unveiled by his grandson, Simon Siddall on the wall of The Imperial, South Parade, Weston-super-Mare

See also

In Spanish: Paul Radmilovic para niños