Water Polo Mike

The victorious 1908 Great Britain Team with George W Hearn.

The team of Weston-super-Mare Swimming Club winner of the Henry Benjamin Trophy in 1908. Back Row: Cecil Stradling, H H Clark, T. Davey. Front Row Seated: B Dunn, Thomas Thould, Paul Radmilovic, Chas Stradling, A. Barnes. it

  • 1906 Athens Olympics: These Games were not recognized by the International Olympic Committee. He competed in 100m Freestyle and came fourth, no time, but won second heat in 1:43.06; 400m freestyle, was fifth (no time), he did not finish the one mile freestyle. • 1908 London Olympics: 800m relay (gold medal), 100m freestyle, second in heat (1:12.0); 400m freestyle, first in heat, finished fifth in final (6:10.0); 1500m freestyle, first in heat (25:2.2); water polo gold medalist, beating Belgium in final, 9-2. • 1912 Stockholm Olympics: 100m freestyle, second heat two (1:10.4), second round fifth (1:19.0); water polo gold medalist, beating Belgium, Sweden and Austria. • 1920 Antwerp, Belgium Olympics: Captain of the Great Britain Water Polo Team, winners of the gold medal with wins over Spain, USA and Belgium. • 1924 Paris Olympics (Chariots of Fire). In Great Britain Water Polo Team which lost to Hungary in the first round after three periods of extra time). • 1928 Amsterdam, Ho...

In the words of George W Hearn, a former secretary of Weston-super-Mare Swimming Club who went on to be President of the Amateur Swimming Association: “The formation of FINA in 1908 came about more by accident than intention … I thought that since the representatives of all Nations were in London for the Olympic Games of 1908, it would be a good opportunity to talk over the vexing question of amateurism and at the same time to compile a list of world records made under similar conditions and under proper supervision.” The ASA gave Hearn permission to call what turned out to be an historic meeting, one that lasted four and a half hours at the Manchester Hotel in east London on July 19, 1908. “I occupied the Chair, I agreed to act in the position of Hon. Secretary, a post I retained for 20 years,” wrote Hearn in an article for a commemorative FINA Bulletin in 1938, when the federation celebrated its 30th birthday at a time when the winds of war were about to blow across the world. Th...

My wife, Joy (3rd from left) is also a qualified water polo official and was part of the 2007 LEN European Championships at Manchester, together with myself.

Coaching can be such anguish......

Youngest son, Liam, also plays for Swindon Dolphins in the National Water Polo League, and formerly Bristol University in the National Water Polo League.

Eldest son Sean, also plays for Bristol Central in the National Water Polo League.

Playing days over, now coaching Weston-super-Mare. Photo taken on April 8th, 2010, Weston-super-Mare v Bradford on Avon. Weston won 10-9, in the Bristol and West Water Polo League ( www.bwwpl.org.uk ).

Myself playing water polo at the former Cheddar Open Air Pool against Bradford in the National Water Polo League in the 1980s.

1925 Weston-super-Mare Team, English Champions, Western Counties Champions.

The 1908 Weston-super-Mare Water Polo Team which featured Paulo Radmilovic (centre) and Thomas Thould, both of which went on to to feature in the victorious 1908 Great Britain Olympic side, winners of the Gold Medal.