AUSTIN RAWLINSON M.B.E. - Born 7.11.1902 - 25.11.2000

Austin Rawlinson was a member of Garston Swimming Club and coached by Bill Howcroft. He had a remarkable life in the sport of swimming being involved at the top of British swimming either as a competitor or an administrator for 76 years.

His first major titles came in the Northern Counties when he won the Junior 100 yards freestyle event in 1917 and 1918 and on his specialist event backstroke from 1916 to 1918. He was schoolboy champion of Liverpool in 1914 at the age of 12.

In 1919 he was listed top in the rankings for 100 yards backstroke (aged only 16 years of age) having mastered the "backcrawl" - one of the first Britain's to use the single overarm in competition rather than the double overarm with its frog leg kick. It amused him to remember in 1923 in Cleethorpes when the 150 yards backstroke took place he was billed as "The Wonder Man" on handbills and advertisements all over the town.

1920 the year of the Antwerp Olympics was not a good year for Austin. He missed out on Olympic selection by being drawn in an outside lane in the middle of an oval shaped pool and was caught up on the lane ropes (which were only supported by small corks) several times during the race and wasn't placed in the first three.

However, for the next six years he was the British number one winning the ASA title over the 150 yards distance from 1922 to 1926 as well as establishing a record which still exists today, the Northern Counties backstroke champion for eight consecutive years. During this time he broke the British records four times.

He qualified for the 1924 Olympic team at the trials in the open air pool in Blackpool (not his favourite pool) finishing in third position for the final place. At the Tourelles Olympic Pool he finished 5th in the 100m backstroke to be entered on the Olympic Roll of Honour with a tie of 1.20.0

In 1927 he was selected for the European Championships in Bologna, the first time a British team was entered as a British team but, by this time he was just a little past his best and his time of 1.19.0 in his heat of the 100m backstroke was not fast enough to make a final.

In 1928 at the Great Britain Olympic trials he just missed out on selection with third place to John Besford and Willie Francis and unlike previous Olympic Games we only selected two backstrokers that year.

After his competitive days were over he turned to the administrative side of the sport (where his achievements were event more remarkable) as well as advancing his career in the police force in Liverpool rising to the rank of superintendent. He was a successful bathside referee, starter and international water polo referee and Olympic official as well as team manager to the Great Britain team from 1955 to 1960. After selection as starter for the 1948 Olympic he had to decline the offer as his Chief in the police force was away on holiday that week and he was not allowed to be away at the same time.

Within the structure of the ASA Austin Rawlinson became a member of the ASA Committee from 1967 to 1975 being honoured with the Presidency in 1968 - only the second national champion to achieve this position. He also served as secretary to the Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain from 1967 to 1971.

Many honours have been bestowed on Austin including recognition by the Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, awarded the MBE in 1960, the Harold Fern award for outstanding services to swimming in 1964 and one that gave him a great deal of pride in 1965 the City of Liverpool named a new swimming pool in Speke "The Austin Rawlinson Pool".

Austin was a great historian of the ASA having been a swimmer at the time our history was being made.

1924 Olympic Games
100m backstroke
1st in heat 4 time 1.18.8
2nd in 2nd semi final 1.19.4
5th in final 1.20.0

ASA titles: winner 150 yards backstroke
1922 1.56.2 event held in Weston Super mare
1923 1.55.8 event held in Cleethorpes
1924 1.48.2 event held in Southport
1925 1.52.4 event held in Plaistow
1926 1.51.8 event held in Leeds