1. John Devitt won in controversial circumstances, being awarded the gold medal despite the timekeepers recording a slower time than the American silver medallist Lance Larson.
18 Facts About John Devitt
1. 2.
John Devitt was educated first at Holy Family Primary School, The Trongate, South Granville, and later at Parramatta Marist High School in Parramatta.
3.
John Devitt was initially trained by Tom Penny at the Clyde Swim Club, based at the Granville Pool, until it disbanded in 1947 and he moved to Manly Swim Club along with Penny.
4.
John Devitt trailed Darke again at the 1953 championships, but Darke retired afterwards to become a mechanic, leaving John Devitt to dominate his age group.
5.
At the age of 18, with Henricks initially sidelined by injury, John Devitt was named as the captain of the New South Wales team for the 1955 Australian Championships.
6.
John Devitt claimed silver in the 220-yard freestyle, behind Rose.
7.
At the 1956 Australian Championships, John Devitt finished third in the 110-yard behind Henricks and Chapman, and fifth in the 220-yard behind Chapman to gain Olympic selection.
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Paul Hogan 8.
The Australians won the gold medal in a world record time, with John Devitt clocking the fastest leg in the whole race.
9.
In January 1957, John Devitt set a world record in both the 100-metre and 110-yard freestyle, and lowered the 100-metre freestyle world record to 54.6 seconds later that month at the Queensland Championships.
10.
John Devitt then won his first individual Australian title in the 110-yard freestyle.
11.
John Devitt held a solid lead until the last 10-metre when Larson surged and both appeared to have touched the wall together.
12.
However, of the three judges assigned to allocate the second-place winner, two believed John Devitt to have come second.
13.
John Devitt rose from a salesman to become the European manager, and later, manager of the International section.
14.
John Devitt was involved in Sydney's winning bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics and was the Australian team manager for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
15.
John Devitt married his wife, Wendy Hogan, sister of Australian actor and comedian Paul Hogan, in 1961.
16.
John Devitt died in Sydney on 17 August 2023, at the age of 86.
17.
John Devitt was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1979.
18.
John Devitt was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989, and received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000.