David Theile
Encyclopedia
David Egmont Theile was an Australian backstroke
swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won consecutive gold medals in the 100 m backstroke at the 1956
and 1960 Summer Olympics
, the only Australian to do so. He subsequently became a leading surgeon and medical administrator.
, with his father originally being of German descent. He learnt to swim at the age of five, along with his three sisters after being enrolled in a swimming program by his parents. He developed a love of swimming, which relieved him from the boredom of the town, as "the local pool gave us something to do".
By the age of 10, Theile was enjoying success at local swimming carnivals, so his father offered to arrange for him to be coached, but left Theile with the choice of coaches. Of the two coaches in the town, Theile chose Arthur Cusack
, who had a reputation as a physical training instructor of whom Theile recounted as being "tough and enthusiastic. All my friends avoided him....somehow I sensed that it was an important decision." Cusack turned out to be his lifelong coach. Under the guidance of Cusack, Maryborough Swimming Club challenged the metropolitan clubs in Brisbane
for statewide supremacy. Theile won Queensland junior and open titles in all four strokes. In 1954, at the age of 16, he came second in the open backstroke, and after becoming the national junior champion that year, he decided to concentrate on the given stroke. In 1955, he captured the 110yd backstroke title at the Australian Championships in Adelaide
. At the same time, Theile completed his secondary education and was awarded an academic scholarship to study medicine at the University of Queensland
.
In 1956, he was selected to represent Australia in the Melbourne Olympics
, and he was forced to defer his studies. He won the 110yd Queensland backstroke title before retaining his Australian title in Sydney. He joined the Australian team at the 12-week winter camp in Townsville, where he worked under the tutelage of Forbes Carlile
. At the Townsville camp, Theile initially swam slower in the time trials than John Monckton
and John Hayres, but eventually defeated them in the final time trials. At a later Brisbane event, he won again in 64.5 s, but Monckton defeated him in Sydney with a new record time of 63.3 s. However, Theile later struck back with a time of 62.9 s at the final trials in Melbourne
, setting a new world record for long-course events.
At the 1956 Olympics, only a 100 m backstroke event existed, in which there were 25 competitors. Theile won his heat to qualify second fastest for the semifinals behind Monckton, who set an Olympic record in his heat. After some officials had questioned his turning style during the heats, Theile refused to give a demonstration to the judges as his team manager had previously promised them. He used a conventional in the semifinals as did the others, coming second to Monckton to progress to the final. In the final Theile made a good start and seized the lead from the start, never relinquishing it to win by more than a metre and a half from Monckton, setting a new world and Olympic record.
Subsequent to the Olympic Games were the 1957 Queensland Championships, where Theile was disqualified for the only time in his career, after officials ruled that he had performed an illegal turn. Theile resumed his university studies in medicine, and skipped the Australian Championships, allowing Monckton to win both the 110yd and 220yd backstroke events. In 1958, Monckton took the 110yd backstroke world record as National Service prevented Theile from competing. Theile also skipped the 1958 Empire Games
in Cardiff
to pursue his academic career. In 1959, he competed in the Australian Championships at the behest of the Australian Swimming Federation, who paid his fares to Hobart
to compete, where he won the 110yd title in a time of 64 s, well outside his best. He subsequently returned to medical studies for the rest of the year, when he moved to Warwick, Queensland
, south of Brisbane to resume training with Cusack.
Theile won the 1960 Australian Championships before deciding on an attempt to defend his Olympic title. Again, he had to attend a winter training camp in Townsville, which necessitated him applying for special consideration from his university, which obliged by allowing him to undergo his training during the year at Townsville Hospital. He was able to train with Cusack in Townsville, who was appointed as a team coach. Theile won the final trials in Townsville to gain selection for his second Olympics, along with Monckton.
Theile arrived in Rome as an outsider, despite being the defending champion as he had not regained his form of four years prior, with Robert Bennett
and Frank McKinney
of the United States posting faster times. This appeared to be the case in the heats, with Theile posting the third fastest time behind the American duo. In the semifinals, Bennett was unable to repeat his earlier performance and Theile won, while McKinney won the other semifinal, also in a time slower than Theile. Theile was confident approaching the final, recounting "I had great faith in myself and my abilities. I had a short, sharp peak, which meant that I had to save everything for that burst and then exert everything I had for precisely that moment." Theile attacked at the outset in the final, as was his style, and held a slender lead at the 50m mark over McKinney and Bennett. Theile made a good turn, lengthening his lead to half a body length, before holding off a late surge to claim consecutive gold medals, defeating McKinney by just 0.2 s, setting a new Olympic record in the event. For the first time, the 4x100m medley relay was contested at the Olympics, and combining with Terry Gathercole
, Neville Hayes
and Geoff Shipton
, the Australians finished well behind the Americans to win the silver medal.
After the games, FINA
announced that the 100 m would be dropped in favour of the 200 m backstroke. Theile, a sprinter, immediately announced his retirement thereafter. He completed his medical studies in 1962, and the University of Queensland
pool was later renamed in his honour. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1968 and was part of the organising committee of the 1982 Commonwealth Games
held in Brisbane
.
, and was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
in 1967. After obtaining further experience in the United Kingdom, in 1974 he entered private practice as a general surgeon in Brisbane, and was appointed to the visiting staff of the Princess Alexandra Hospital
.
Over the succeeding 25 years, Theile earned an incomparable array of professional accolades. Alongside his fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
, he was made a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
, and an Honorary Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
. He holds three honorary professorships, and is an honorary member of the medical academies of both Singapore and Malaysia. He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Queensland
, and is an Officer of the Order of Australia
. He is currently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Metro South Health Service District.
Apart from his clinical practice, Theile also began to take an active part in professional affairs. From 1981, he held a variety of positions with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, culminating in the presidency between 1993 and 1995. He served on the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee. He chaired the Pacific Islands Project for AusAid. He became Chairman of the Division of Surgery at the Princess Alexandra Hospital
in 2000, and in 2006 became its Clinical Chief Executive Officer. In 2001, Theile was awarded the highest honour from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
, the Sir Hugh Devine Medal. In late 2008 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Metro South District of Queensland Health.
Theile has two sons, both of whom are also distinguished medical specialists.
As an Olympic swimmer, Theile's name was pronounced in the original Germanic form, sounding like Tyler. Theile later chose to adopt an Anglicised pronunciation, rhyming with meal.
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won consecutive gold medals in the 100 m backstroke at the 1956
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
and 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, the only Australian to do so. He subsequently became a leading surgeon and medical administrator.
Swimming career
Theile was born in Maryborough to Alice and Egmont Theile, who ran a husband and wife medical practice. Both had graduated from the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, with his father originally being of German descent. He learnt to swim at the age of five, along with his three sisters after being enrolled in a swimming program by his parents. He developed a love of swimming, which relieved him from the boredom of the town, as "the local pool gave us something to do".
By the age of 10, Theile was enjoying success at local swimming carnivals, so his father offered to arrange for him to be coached, but left Theile with the choice of coaches. Of the two coaches in the town, Theile chose Arthur Cusack
Arthur Cusack
Arthur Cusack was an Australian Olympic swimming coach in the 1950s and 1960s.-Early career:...
, who had a reputation as a physical training instructor of whom Theile recounted as being "tough and enthusiastic. All my friends avoided him....somehow I sensed that it was an important decision." Cusack turned out to be his lifelong coach. Under the guidance of Cusack, Maryborough Swimming Club challenged the metropolitan clubs in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
for statewide supremacy. Theile won Queensland junior and open titles in all four strokes. In 1954, at the age of 16, he came second in the open backstroke, and after becoming the national junior champion that year, he decided to concentrate on the given stroke. In 1955, he captured the 110yd backstroke title at the Australian Championships in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. At the same time, Theile completed his secondary education and was awarded an academic scholarship to study medicine at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
.
In 1956, he was selected to represent Australia in the Melbourne Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, and he was forced to defer his studies. He won the 110yd Queensland backstroke title before retaining his Australian title in Sydney. He joined the Australian team at the 12-week winter camp in Townsville, where he worked under the tutelage of Forbes Carlile
Forbes Carlile
Forbes Carlile MBE was Australia's first post-World War II Olympics swimming coach and later Australia's first competitor in the modern pentathlon at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He remains the only person to have coached and later competed at the Olympic Games.Born in Armadale, Victoria,...
. At the Townsville camp, Theile initially swam slower in the time trials than John Monckton
John Monckton (swimmer)
John James Monckton was an Australian backstroke swimmer of the 1950s, who won a silver medal in the 100m backstroke at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Although he set multiple world records, he never won an Olympic gold medal....
and John Hayres, but eventually defeated them in the final time trials. At a later Brisbane event, he won again in 64.5 s, but Monckton defeated him in Sydney with a new record time of 63.3 s. However, Theile later struck back with a time of 62.9 s at the final trials in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, setting a new world record for long-course events.
At the 1956 Olympics, only a 100 m backstroke event existed, in which there were 25 competitors. Theile won his heat to qualify second fastest for the semifinals behind Monckton, who set an Olympic record in his heat. After some officials had questioned his turning style during the heats, Theile refused to give a demonstration to the judges as his team manager had previously promised them. He used a conventional in the semifinals as did the others, coming second to Monckton to progress to the final. In the final Theile made a good start and seized the lead from the start, never relinquishing it to win by more than a metre and a half from Monckton, setting a new world and Olympic record.
Subsequent to the Olympic Games were the 1957 Queensland Championships, where Theile was disqualified for the only time in his career, after officials ruled that he had performed an illegal turn. Theile resumed his university studies in medicine, and skipped the Australian Championships, allowing Monckton to win both the 110yd and 220yd backstroke events. In 1958, Monckton took the 110yd backstroke world record as National Service prevented Theile from competing. Theile also skipped the 1958 Empire Games
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, capital of Wales from 18–26 July 1958.Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including, for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
to pursue his academic career. In 1959, he competed in the Australian Championships at the behest of the Australian Swimming Federation, who paid his fares to Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
to compete, where he won the 110yd title in a time of 64 s, well outside his best. He subsequently returned to medical studies for the rest of the year, when he moved to Warwick, Queensland
Warwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
, south of Brisbane to resume training with Cusack.
Theile won the 1960 Australian Championships before deciding on an attempt to defend his Olympic title. Again, he had to attend a winter training camp in Townsville, which necessitated him applying for special consideration from his university, which obliged by allowing him to undergo his training during the year at Townsville Hospital. He was able to train with Cusack in Townsville, who was appointed as a team coach. Theile won the final trials in Townsville to gain selection for his second Olympics, along with Monckton.
Theile arrived in Rome as an outsider, despite being the defending champion as he had not regained his form of four years prior, with Robert Bennett
Robert Bennett (swimmer)
Robert Bennett was an American swimmer and two-time Bronze medal winning Olympian.Bennett attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American swimmer for three years ; he graduated in 1965....
and Frank McKinney
Frank McKinney
Frank McKinney was a backstroke swimmer from the United States. He was later a bank executive.The son of Frank E...
of the United States posting faster times. This appeared to be the case in the heats, with Theile posting the third fastest time behind the American duo. In the semifinals, Bennett was unable to repeat his earlier performance and Theile won, while McKinney won the other semifinal, also in a time slower than Theile. Theile was confident approaching the final, recounting "I had great faith in myself and my abilities. I had a short, sharp peak, which meant that I had to save everything for that burst and then exert everything I had for precisely that moment." Theile attacked at the outset in the final, as was his style, and held a slender lead at the 50m mark over McKinney and Bennett. Theile made a good turn, lengthening his lead to half a body length, before holding off a late surge to claim consecutive gold medals, defeating McKinney by just 0.2 s, setting a new Olympic record in the event. For the first time, the 4x100m medley relay was contested at the Olympics, and combining with Terry Gathercole
Terry Gathercole
Terrence Stephen Gathercole OAM , was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics...
, Neville Hayes
Neville Hayes
Neville Hayes was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s, who won two silver medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, in the 200m butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay....
and Geoff Shipton
Geoff Shipton
Geoffrey Shipton was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics....
, the Australians finished well behind the Americans to win the silver medal.
After the games, FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
announced that the 100 m would be dropped in favour of the 200 m backstroke. Theile, a sprinter, immediately announced his retirement thereafter. He completed his medical studies in 1962, and the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
pool was later renamed in his honour. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1968 and was part of the organising committee of the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
held in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Medical career
Theile undertook post-graduate training as a Resident and Surgical Registrar at the Royal Brisbane and Women's HospitalRoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital is a hospital located in the suburb of Herston in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The hospital was formerly known as the Brisbane General Hospital.The hospital currently has a total of 948 beds...
, and was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
in 1967. After obtaining further experience in the United Kingdom, in 1974 he entered private practice as a general surgeon in Brisbane, and was appointed to the visiting staff of the Princess Alexandra Hospital
Princess Alexandra Hospital
The Princess Alexandra Hospital , is located on Ipswich Road in Woolloongabba, Australia. It is one of the major hospitals in Brisbane and is a teaching hospital of the University of Queensland. It is a tertiary level teaching hospital with all major medical and surgical specialities onsite except...
.
Over the succeeding 25 years, Theile earned an incomparable array of professional accolades. Alongside his fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
, he was made a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
, and an Honorary Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists is responsible for examining and qualifying anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand. The College maintains standards of practice in anaesthesia.-Membership:...
. He holds three honorary professorships, and is an honorary member of the medical academies of both Singapore and Malaysia. He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, and is an Officer of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
. He is currently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Metro South Health Service District.
Apart from his clinical practice, Theile also began to take an active part in professional affairs. From 1981, he held a variety of positions with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, culminating in the presidency between 1993 and 1995. He served on the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee. He chaired the Pacific Islands Project for AusAid. He became Chairman of the Division of Surgery at the Princess Alexandra Hospital
Princess Alexandra Hospital
The Princess Alexandra Hospital , is located on Ipswich Road in Woolloongabba, Australia. It is one of the major hospitals in Brisbane and is a teaching hospital of the University of Queensland. It is a tertiary level teaching hospital with all major medical and surgical specialities onsite except...
in 2000, and in 2006 became its Clinical Chief Executive Officer. In 2001, Theile was awarded the highest honour from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
, the Sir Hugh Devine Medal. In late 2008 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Metro South District of Queensland Health.
Theile has two sons, both of whom are also distinguished medical specialists.
As an Olympic swimmer, Theile's name was pronounced in the original Germanic form, sounding like Tyler. Theile later chose to adopt an Anglicised pronunciation, rhyming with meal.