Murray Rose

Iain Murray Rose, (6 January 1939 – 15 April 2012) was an Australian swimmer, who swam for the University of Southern California, and worked as an actor, sports commentator and marketing executive. He was a six-time Olympic medalist (four gold, one silver, one bronze), and at one time held the world records in the 400-metre, 800-metre, and 1500-metre freestyle (long course). He made his Olympic debut at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne as a 17-year-old and won three Olympic medals, all gold. 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.

Biography

Early life 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.

Career

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 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.

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.

Work in film and television In 1958, he appeared on You Bet Your Life where he was baffled by the world geography questions. On 6 January 1959, Rose appeared as a guest challenger on the TV panel show To Tell the Truth where he stumped the panel as they all voted for the wrong person.

He made his acting debut in the 1962 Australian live drama My Three Angels. He also guest starred in an episode of Adventure Unlimited.

Later he starred in the 1964 surf movie Ride the Wild Surf The Patty Duke Show, Dream Rider, Time Capsule 1932 and Time Capsule 1938.

Charity 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

Honours He was among the first swimmers inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in 1965, was voted Australia's greatest male Olympian by his peers in 1983, and inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. He also received the Australian Sports Medal that year and, in 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal. In 2023, he was inducted into the Swimming Australia Hall of Fame.

Books Murray Rose's father, Ian F Rose, published Faith, Love, and Seaweed about his son's childhood and diet. In 2013, Murray Rose's memoir Life is Worth Swimming was posthumously published. Written before his leukaemia diagnosis, Life is Worth Swimming reflects on Rose's life and experiences as an Olympic swimmer.

Personal life 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.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1964 Ride the Wild Surf Swag 1968 Ice Station Zebra Lt. George Mills 1993 Dreamrider Father OGorman 2003 Swimming Upstream Reporter #3