Murray Rose

Four years later, as a 21-year-old, he won three Olympic medals (one gold, one silver, one bronze) at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.

• Name — Murray Rose • Header Color — lightblue • Full Name — Iain Murray Rose • Born — 6 January 1939 • Birthplace — Birmingham, England, United Kingdom • Died — 15 April 2012 • Place of death — Sydney, Australia • Education — Cranbrook School, Sydney • Height — 1.85 m • Weight — 80 kg • Sport — Swimming • Event Type — Freestyle • College Team — University of Southern California • Club — Bondi Swimming Club • Retired — c. 1966 • Medal Templates — Australia Olympic Games British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Iain Murray Rose was born on 6 January 1939 in Birmingham, England, UK to parents Eileen and Ian Rose. As World War II broke out, his family moved to Australia in 1940 when he was a baby. He started swimming as a boy and attended Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. He swam regularly at Redleaf Pool, an enclosed saltwater swimming pool in the suburb of Double Bay. In 2012, the pool was renamed Murray Rose Pool in his honour.

• Illustration — Rose in 1957 At the age of 17, Rose participated in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He won the 400-metre and 1500-metre freestyle races and was a member of the winning team in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay. Winning three gold medals in his home country immediately made him a national hero. He was the youngest Olympian to be awarded three gold medals at one Olympic Games. Afterwards, Rose moved to the United States to accept an athletic scholarship at the University of Southern California (USC) where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business/Communications. Rose introduced the swim brief made by Speedo at the 1956 Olympics. He continued competing while at USC, and graduated in 1962. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, Rose again won an Olympic gold medal in the 400m freestyle, as well as a silver in the 1500m freestyle and a bronze in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, bringing his total to six Olympic medals. In addition to his Olympic medals, he won four gold medals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia. He eventually set 15 world records, including the world record in the 800-metre freestyle in 1962, which was not broken until Semyon Belits-Geiman set a new record in 1966. Rose missed the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as he was attending university in the United States at the time of Australia's Olympic trials and so was omitted from their Olympic team; he had set world records for 880 yard and 1,500 metre freestyle event earlier in the months before the Games and would have been a medal favourite. During the 1960s, he also pursued an acting career, starring in two Hollywood films and making guest appearances on television shows such as Adventure Unlimited. In addition, Rose worked as an Australian sports commentator for the Nine Network, plus each of the major US networks, participating in seven consecutive Olympic Games. Rose continued to compete as a masters swimmer. In 1981, he won the World Masters title in faster times than he recorded at the 1956 Games. From 1988-94, Rose was vice-president of California Sports Marketing specialising in marketing, sponsorships and promotions for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and special events at the Great Western Forum. He returned to Sydney with his family in 1994 and worked as a Senior Account Director for Sports Marketing and Management – the official marketing agent for the Australian Olympic Committee, the Australian Commonwealth Games Association and a range of other leading Australian sports organisations. • Illustration — Murray Rose being interviewed by a Seven News journalist during a live cross of the evening news bulletin to Circular Quay in Sydney prior to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. An avenue at Sydney Olympic Park was named for him in 2000. He was one of the eight flag-bearers of the Olympic Flag at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney. In 2010, Rose led a team on a pilgrimage for Military History Tours to Gallipoli and a 4.5 km swim from Europe to Asia across the Dardanelles. In 2012, Redleaf Pool in Double Bay, Sydney, was officially renamed Murray Rose Pool in his honour. In 2022 Cranbrook School named its new swimming complex on New South Head Road the Murray Rose Aquatic & Fitness Centre.

Rose held a number of cause-related Board positions including the Mary MacKillop Foundation and Patron of Rainbow Club Australia, a non-profit charity providing children with special needs the opportunity to explore their abilities through sporting and recreational activities. In 2012, Rainbow Club Australia renamed their annual event, The Murray Rose's Malabar Magic Ocean Swim. The MRMM offers a two swim program of 1 km and 2.4 km

Rose married ballerina Jodi Wintz on 20 October 1988. Their son was born in 1990. He was previously married to Bobbie Whitby and he adopted her daughter. Rose was a strict vegetarian in his swimming days – this earned him the nickname "The Seaweed Streak" – but he later added meat to his diet. Rose died of leukaemia on 15 April 2012 at the age of 73 in Sydney, New South Wales.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1964 — Ride the Wild Surf — Swag • 1968 — Ice Station Zebra — Lt. George Mills • 1993 — Dreamrider — Father OGorman • 2003 — Swimming Upstream — Reporter #3

Murray Rose is recorded as swimmer and actor.