Richard Campion

Richard Campion (born 11 March 1941) is a British-Australian swimmer and swimming administrator. He competed for Great Britain in the 1960s and won a bronze medal in the 1500 m freestyle at the 1962 European Aquatics Championships.^[1] He also took part in three freestyle events at the 1960 Summer Olympics; his best achievement was fourth place in the 4×200 m relay, setting a new European record.^[2][3]

Since 1967 he was promoting open water swimming; around that time he also moved from UK to Australia. He took part in several international competitions in 1975 and 1976 and won the 1976 Australian Open Water Swimming Championships. The same year he was elected President of the now defunct World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation. Between 1977 and 1979 he was the President of the Australian Marathon Swimming Federation, and during 1988–2001 a member of the Australian Open Water Swimming Committee.^[4]

He wrote the Open Water Swimming handler and trainer's manual, which was adopted by the Australian Swimming Federation and organised the 1999 Pan Pacific Open Water Championships. Between 1989 and 1998 he was the national open water swimming coach. He organised the Australian Swimming 16 km Grand Prix Series and the 93 km four-person relay from Malta to Sicily in 1996.^[4]

In 2010 he was inducted to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as a distinguished Australian swimming administrator.^[5] During that year he was still competing in masters swimming.^[6]

References