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Home > Olympics > Bronze Medalists > John Devitt
John Devitt
John Devitt, an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, was born on the 4th of February 1937 in Granville, New South Wales, Australia. He had won a gold medal in the 100 meter freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. He had also claimed a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia in the 4 by 200 meter freestyle relay.
He was educated first at Trongate School, and later at Marist Brothers College in Parramatta, where he also swum competitively for the school team. Devitt was initially trained by Tom Penny. Penny often allowed his swimmers to train in warm waters by having them swim against the current of discharged water from a power plant, such training gave him an advantage as it taught him to be unaffected by rain, heat, currents or any other natural or unnatural variables.
Devitt's first forays into national competition were at the 1952 Australian Championships, at the 1953 championships, Devitt dominated his age group. At the age of 18, Devitt was named as the captain of the New South Wales team for the 1955 Australian Championships. Devitt was named as the national captain for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.
In January 1957, Devitt set a world record in both the 100 meter and 110 yard freestyle, and lowered the 100 meter freestyle world record to 54.6seconds later that month at the Queensland Championships. He then won his first individual Australian title in the 110 yard freestyle. In 1958, after claiming the Australian 110 yard title, he claimed three golds at the 1958 Empire Games in Cardiff, Wales, in the 110 yard freestyle, and the 4 by 110 yard freestyle and medley relays. In 1959, Devitt again lowered the 110 yard freestyle record.
Devitt decided to continue his career until the 1960 Summer Olympics, where he won the Gold medal in the 100 meter freestyle and the Bronze medal for the 4 by 200 meter freestyle relay, supporting himself as a health inspector for the Townsville City Council. In the 1980s, he became an Olympic administrator, serving on the Australian Olympic Committee executive. He was involved in Sydney's winning bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics and was the Australian team manager for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
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