Percy Oliver
Encyclopedia
Percival "Percy" Cole Oliver (1 April 1919 – 9 July 2011) was an Australia
n backstroke
swimmer
who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
.
Oliver was born in Nedlands, Western Australia
and attended Hale School
. He won 13 freestyle and backstroke Australian titles.
At the age seventeen he competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin, where he finished seventh in the 100 metre backstroke event
.
Two years later he won the 110 yards backstroke competition at the 1938 British Empire Games
in Sydney. He also won a bronze medal as member of the Australian team in the 3 x 110 yards medley contest and competed in the 110 yards freestyle.
Oliver went on to teach at Mt Lawley
and Hollywood Senior High Schools before taking over the administration of the Education Department's vacation swimming program.
He died on 9 July 2011 at the age of 92.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n backstroke
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
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
.
Oliver was born in Nedlands, Western Australia
Nedlands, Western Australia
The City of Nedlands is a Local Government Area in the inner western suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about west of Perth's central business district...
and attended Hale School
Hale School
Hale School is a selective, independent, Anglican day and boarding school for boys, located in Wembley Downs, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
. He won 13 freestyle and backstroke Australian titles.
At the age seventeen he competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in Berlin, where he finished seventh in the 100 metre backstroke event
Swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre backstroke
The men's 100 metre backstroke was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme. It was the seventh appearance of the event, which was established in 1908...
.
Two years later he won the 110 yards backstroke competition at the 1938 British Empire Games
1938 British Empire Games
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games being the modern-day equivalent. Held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from February 5–12, 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary...
in Sydney. He also won a bronze medal as member of the Australian team in the 3 x 110 yards medley contest and competed in the 110 yards freestyle.
Oliver went on to teach at Mt Lawley
Mount Lawley Senior High School
Mount Lawley Senior High School is a state high school in the Perth suburb of Mount Lawley, Western Australia.- Notable alumni :* Holly Deane-Johns* Marcus Graham* David Helfgott* Tammy MacIntosh* Nikita Rukavytsya* James Smillie* Graeme Snooks...
and Hollywood Senior High Schools before taking over the administration of the Education Department's vacation swimming program.
He died on 9 July 2011 at the age of 92.