Frederick Lane

Frederick Claude Vivian Lane (2 February 1880 – 14 May 1969) was an Australian swimmer who competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics.[1]

Frederick Lane
Lane at 1900 Olympics
Personal information
Full nameFrederick Claude Vivian Lane
Nickname(s)"Fred", "Freddie"
National team Australia
Born(1880-02-02)2 February 1880
Millers Point, New South Wales
Died14 May 1969(1969-05-14) (aged 89)
Avalon, New South Wales
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubBlackpool SC
East Sydney Amateur SC

Lane, from Manly, New South Wales, was four years old when his brother saved him from drowning in Sydney Harbour, whereupon he decided to learn to swim. Later, he attended high school at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview.[2]

After breaking many Australasian swimming records, Lane moved to England to compete in the English Championships in 1899.[2]

He was the first Australian to represent his country in swimming at the Olympic Games, when he competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, and won two gold medals. He first won the 200 metres freestyle, clearly beating Hungarian Zoltán Halmay.[3] His second final was just 45 minutes later, the discontinued 200 metre obstacle event, where he beat Austrian Otto Wahle.[4]

After the Olympics, Lane stayed in England for another two years working for a legal firm in Blackpool while he continued to swim and break records. In July 1902, he won a 100 yard race and became the first person to record one minute dead for that distance.[2] In August, he swam 220 yards in 2 minutes 28.6 seconds, which in 1974 was ratified by FINA as the first World Record for 200 metres.[2] In October, he broke the one-minute barrier for 100 yards in 59.6 seconds.[2]

On returning to Australia, Lane became a master printer and a partner in a printing and stationery firm on Bridge Street, Sydney. He married in 1908. He died in 1969 at Avalon, New South Wales. He was survived by a son and a daughter.[2]

In 1969, Lane was honoured by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[2][5]

On 10 December 1985, Lane was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[6]

Lane, standing at right, with Manly Swimming Club teammates

See also

References
  1. "Fred Lane". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  2. "Lane, Frederick Claude Vivian (1879–1969)". adb.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  3. "Swimming at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 200 metres Freestyle". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  4. "Swimming at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 200 metres Obstacle Course". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  5. "FREDERICK "FREDDIE" LANE (AUS) 1969 Honor Swimmer". ISHOF.org. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  6. "Fredrick 'Freddie' Lane - Swimming". sahof.org.au. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

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