22 Facts About Jack Beresford

Jack Beresford, CBE, born Jack Beresford-Wiszniewski, was a British rower who won five medals at five Olympic Games in succession.

Julius Jack Beresford was a rower who won an Olympic silver medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics as well as winning several times at Henley.

Jack Beresford was educated at Bedford School where he stroked the eight and captained the rugby football XV.

Jack Beresford took up sculling because the leg wound put an end to his rugby career.

Michael Jack Beresford was his nephew who competed in rowing at the 1960 Olympics.

In 1920, Jack Beresford won the Diamond Challenge Sculls, the single sculls event at the Henley Royal Regatta beating in the final Donald Gollan, his closest British rival for the next few years.

Jack Beresford followed this up competing in the single sculls event rowing at the 1920 Summer Olympics where his final race against John B Kelly Sr.

In 1920 Jack Beresford won the Wingfield Sculls, the Amateur Sculling Championship of the Thames and Great Britain for the first time, and went on to win it for seven consecutive years, a streak unmatched in history He won the London Cup to give him the sculling triple crown in 1920.

Jack Beresford was losing finalist to Eyken in the Diamond Sculls in 1921 but won the London Cup and the Wingfields which was decided on a foul after Jack Beresford's boat was holed in a clash with Gollan.

Jack Beresford lost Diamonds in the final to Walter Hoover but won the Wingfields and London Cup over Gollan.

In 1923 Jack Beresford was in the winning Thames eight in the Grand Challenge Cup.

Jack Beresford was runner up in the Diamonds to M K Morris, lost to Gollan in the London Cup on a foul, but beat Gollan in the Wingfields.

Jack Beresford won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley again in 1924 against Craig, and went on to win the gold medal in the single scull rowing at the 1924 Summer Olympics over William Gilmore.

Jack Beresford won the Diamond Challenge Sculls again in 1926 beating G E G Goddard in the final.

Jack Beresford was a member of the Thames eight which won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.

In 1932 at Henley, Jack Beresford competed in the coxless four which won the Stewards Challenge Cup and then went on to win the gold medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Jack Beresford was denied the opportunity to win a medal in the double sculls event in the 1940 Olympics as those Games were cancelled because of World War II.

Jack Beresford was elected a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta in 1946.

Jack Beresford was a member of the organising committee of the 1948 London Olympic Games.

In 1960, Jack Beresford was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Jack Beresford was President of Thames Rowing Club from 1970 until his death in 1977.

Jack Beresford is one of the first sportsmen to receive this honour.