Kevin O'Halloran, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetKevin O'Halloran
Australian swimmer, Olympic gold medallist
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Katanning, Western Australia, Australia
About Kevin O'Halloran
- Kevin O'Halloran (3 March 1937 – 5 July 1976) was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1950s who won a gold medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. The first Western Australian to win Olympic gold, O'Halloran learnt to swim in his hometown of Katanning.
- He moved to Perth to attend secondary schooling at Guildford Grammar School, where he became more committed to swimming.
- Competitive swimming was not well developed in Western Australia; races were held in muddy river pools.
- So in late 1955, O'Halloran moved to the east coast to support his attempt to qualify for the Olympics.
- His new coach, Frank Guthrie, overhauled his training regimen, and within a year O'Halloran had reduced his times by approximately ten percent.
- He gained Olympic selection in the relay and the 400-metre freestyle.
- O'Halloran led off the Australian quartet on the way to a new world record, before placing sixth in the 400-metre.
- Thereafter, O'Halloran's career was beset by ear problems, and he retired in 1958 after failing to qualify for the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
- In 1976, O'Halloran died after tripping and accidentally shooting himself.
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