View source for Paul Radmilovic

{{short description|British swimmer and water polo player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Paul Radmilovic
| image          = Paul Radmilovic 1909.jpg
| image_size     = 240
| alt            =
| caption        = Radmilovic in 1909
| fullname       = Paolo Francesco Radmilovic 
| nicknames      = "Raddy"
| national_team  = Great Britain
| strokes        = [[Freestyle swimming|Freestyle]], [[water polo]]
| club           = Welsh Amateur Swimming Association<br />Weston-super-Mare Water Polo Club 
| coach          =
| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1886|3|5|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Cardiff|Cardiff, Wales]]
| death_date     = {{Death date and age|1968|9|29|1886|3|5|df=y}}
| death_place    = [[Weston-super-Mare|Weston-super-Mare, England]]
| height         = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|76|kg|lb st|abbr=on}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | Great Britain}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSport |  Men's water polo}}
{{MedalGold | [[Water polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]] | [[Water polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Water polo team]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Water polo at the 1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]] | [[Water polo at the 1912 Summer Olympics|Water polo team]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Water polo at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Antwerp]] | [[Water polo at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Water polo team]]}}
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]]  | [[Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]]}}
}}

'''Paolo Francesco Radmilovic''' (5 March 1886 – 29 September 1968) was a [[Wales|Welsh]] [[water polo]] player and competitive [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/53949 |title=Paul Radmilovic |work=Olympedia |access-date=11 April 2021}}</ref> Radmilovic had Croatian<ref name="Petkovic"/><ref>Petković, Milivoj. ''Doprinos Dubrovčana olimpijskim igrama'' '''u:''' Dubrovački horizonti : časopis Društva Dubrovčana i prijatelja dubrovačke starine u Zagrebu, god. 25 (1994.), vol. 34., p. 179.-184.</ref> and Irish origins. He represented Great Britain at four editions of Summer Olympics. He won four Olympic titles in a 22-year Olympic career.  He won four gold medals across three successive [[Olympic Games]], a record which stood for a [[Great Britain at the Olympics|Great Britain]] Olympic athlete until broken by [[Steve Redgrave|Sir Steve Redgrave]] when he won his fifth gold medal at [[Sydney]] in 2000.<ref name="BBCGold">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7510611.stm|title=Search for Olympian's four golds|publisher=BBC Wales|date=17 July 2008|access-date=17 July 2008}}</ref> In 1928, he became the first person to compete for Britain at five Olympic Games, a record that would remain until surpassed by fencer [[Bill Hoskyns]] in 1976.

==Early life and family==
Radmilovic was born in the Tiger Bay area of [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]],<ref name="BBCGold"/> the third son of Antun Radmilović, a native of [[Dubrovnik]] who relocated to Cardiff in 1860s and became the landlord of the Glastonbury Arms pub in Bute Street.<ref>Hignell, Andrew and Prescott, Gwyn (2007) ''Cardiff Sporting Greats''. pp. 144–146. {{ISBN|978-0-7524-4286-0}}</ref> His mother was born in Cardiff, the daughter of Irish immigrants.<ref name="Petkovic" /> Radmilovics were also the landlords of the Bute Dock Tavern in Bute Street.

His paternal ancestors were from [[Makarska]]; grandfather from Makarska and grandmother from Dubrovnik were married and living in Dubrovnik.<ref name="Petkovic">{{in lang|hr}} Petković, M. ''Prilog proučavanju uspjeha sportaša našeg porijekla koji su nastupali za strane zemlje'' // Povijest sporta : građa i prilozi : journal for the history of sport, god. VIII. (1977.), br. 30, p. 2617. (genealogy and origin data on pp. 2622–2623)</ref>

==Swimming career==
Radmilovic made his debut for the Wales national water polo team at the age of 15 in 1901 and at the time was the youngest international player in the history of the sport. He competed in international [[swimming (sport)|swimming]] and [[water polo]] for nearly 30 years and was still an active swimmer well into his seventies. He was also a competent golfer and footballer.<ref name=sr/><ref>Vlašić, Tonči (4 January 2008) [https://web.archive.org/web/20080207171754/http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20080104/sport05.asp Hvala Britanci, za nas ste izmislili vaterpolo]. slobodnadalmacija.hr.</ref>

He won his first Amateur Swimming Association title in 1907 when victorious in the open water 5 mile race in the [[River Thames]]. His noted versatility came to the fore two years later when he won the 100 yards freestyle. He won the English Long Distance Championships in 1907 and 1925, the latter at age 39. A year later, he won the English One Mile Championship at age 40. A reporter for the 'Swimming Times' wrote of his 1925 victory:

<blockquote>
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 that 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?<ref name=ishof>{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/paul-radmilovic-%28gbr%29.html |title=Paul Radmilovic (GBR) – 1967 Honor Water Polo Player |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=[[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] |access-date=11 August 2015 |archive-date=5 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905183129/http://ishof.org/paul-radmilovic-(gbr).html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
</blockquote>

In all he won nine titles over a 19-year span at a variety of distances. His victories at the Welsh national championship took place over an ever-greater timespan. A 100 yards title at the age of 15 in 1901 and a 440 yards victory at the age of 43 in 1929 book-ending his career.

==Olympic career==
His Olympic career began as a swimmer at the [[1906 Intercalated Games]] where he finished 4th in 100 metres freestyle and 5th in the 400 metres event. In the 1 mile event he did not finish.<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171828/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/paul-radmilovic-1.html |title=Paul Radmilovic |archive-date=2020-04-17 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/paul-radmilovic-1.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908]] he won a gold medal as part of the British [[water polo]] team that defeated Belgium 9–2 in the final. Radmilovic scored twice in the final. Two days later he was drafted into the 4×200 metre relay squad when another swimmer withdrew due to illness and swam the second leg of a dramatic race. [[Hungary]] appeared to be cruising to victory when anchor leg swimmer [[Zoltán Halmay]] began to lose consciousness in the water. Halmay struggled to the finish but [[Henry Taylor (swimmer)|Henry Taylor]] had touched four seconds earlier to give the British victory. Radmilovic also competed in three individual freestyle events but failed to make a final.<ref name=sr/>

Radmilovic moved to Weston-super-Mare in 1904 and all Olympic successes were gained whilst a resident of this Somerset resort and where he was a member of the local swimming and water polo clubs.

He won his third career gold as part of the British water polo team at the [[1912 Summer Olympics]] in Stockholm. The Austrians were defeated 8–0 in the final.<ref name=sr/>

Radmilovic's fourth and final gold came at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]] albeit in eventful circumstances. Great Britain and Belgium had impressed in reaching the final and the game itself was a tight one decided when Radmilovic scored to put the British 3–2 ahead. On the final whistle incensed Belgian spectators attempted to attack the British players. Armed police guarded the team as they left the pool.

He competed as a member of the British team in both the 1924 and 1928 Olympic water polo tournaments without medal success. He was 42 years old when his Olympic career ended.<ref name=sr/>

His record of four gold medals by a British Olympian stood until [[Steve Redgrave|Sir Steve Redgrave]] equalled and eventually broke it by winning his fifth title in the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]]

Including the 1906 [[Intercalated Games]], he competed at [[List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games|six Olympic Games]]. It would only be in 1976 when another athlete, fencer [[Bill Hoskyns]], would compete at six Games for Great Britain.

Radmilovic was the first athlete to compete in water polo [[List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics#Multiple appearances (five-time Olympians)|at five Olympics]], and one of ten male players who won [[List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics#Multiple gold medalists|three Olympic gold medals]] in water polo.

==Post-Olympics==
Radmilovic was one of only two Welsh athletes to represent [[Wales at the 1930 British Empire Games]]. Aged 44 at the time, he was sent by the Welsh Amateur Swimming Association, along with female swimmer [[Valerie Davies]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19300929/164/0008 |title=No Paul Pry Census |work=Daily Herald |date=29 September 1930 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003446/19300808/108/0008 |title=Welsh Amateur Swimming Association |work=Glamorgan Advertiser  |date=8 August 1930 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref>

He ran the Imperial Hotel in [[Weston-super-Mare]], England for many years,<ref name=sr/> and was still swimming 400 m a day at age seventy-eight.

In 1967, he was inducted in the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]]. He was the second water polo player (after American [[Wallace O'Connor]]) and the third Briton (after coach [[Matthew Mann]] and English Channel swimmer [[Matthew Webb|Captain Matthew Webb]]) to be inducted.<ref name=sr/><ref name=ishof/>

Radmilovic died in [[Weston-super-Mare]], England, in 1968 and is buried in Weston Cemetery on Milton Road. His son took over the running of the hotel and continued to display his father's vast trophy collection.<ref name=sr/>

==Legacy==

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

To celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of his 1908 double-gold Olympic performance, a plaque was placed on the Cardiff International Pool to honour him, paid for by the [[2012 London Olympics]] Committee and the [[Welsh Assembly]].<ref name="BBCGold"/><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2449727/Paulo-Radmilovic-honoured-for-his-Olympian-feats.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528121751/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2449727/Paulo-Radmilovic-honoured-for-his-Olympian-feats.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 May 2010 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Paulo Radmilovic honoured for his Olympian feats | first=Brendan | last=Gallagher | date=24 July 2008 | access-date=22 May 2010}}</ref>

A blue plaque was unveiled by the Mayor of Weston-super-Mare, Cllr Alan Peak, and Paulo Radmilovic's grandson, Simon Siddall on the wall of The Imperial, South Parade, Weston-super-Mare on 30 March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wsm-tc.gov.uk/community/blue-plaques/|title=Blue Plaques}}</ref>
[[File:Blue Plaque on Imperial.jpg|alt=Blue Plaque|thumb|The blue plaque unveiled by his grandson, Simon Siddall on the wall of The Imperial, South Parade, Weston-super-Mare]]

==See also==
* [[Great Britain men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics]]
* [[List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games]]
* [[List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments]]
* [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists]]
* [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men)]]
* [[List of Olympic champions in men's water polo]]
* [[List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120306062006/http://www.somersetasa.org/sasa/index.php?page=181 record of representing Weston-super-Mare at Olympic games]}}
*'''{{mono|xxxxx}}'''. [https://archive.today/20130421111544/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Britain-s-great-Olympian-honoured/article-280347-detail/article.html ''Britain's first great Olympian honoured''] // thisisbristol.co.uk – News section brought by the [[Bristol Evening Post]], Thursday, 21 August 2008, 08:00

==External links==
* {{Sports links}}

{{Navboxes
|title = Great Britain squads
|bg = #012169
|fg = #FFFFFF
|bordercolor = #C8102E
|list1 = 
{{Great Britain men's water polo squad 1908 Summer Olympics}}
{{Great Britain men's water polo squad 1912 Summer Olympics}}
{{Great Britain men's water polo squad 1920 Summer Olympics}}
{{Great Britain men's water polo squad 1924 Summer Olympics}}
{{Great Britain men's water polo squad 1928 Summer Olympics}}
}}
{{Olympic Champions Swimming 4x200 m Men Freestyle Relay}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Radmilovic, Paulo}}
[[Category:Sportspeople from Cardiff]]
[[Category:Welsh people of Croatian descent]]
[[Category:Welsh people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Welsh male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:British male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:Welsh male water polo players]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1906 Intercalated Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1924 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1928 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic water polo players for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Welsh Olympic competitors]]
[[Category:1886 births]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in water polo]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:British male water polo players]]