About William Kendall
Lived 1916 – 2004 (aged 87–88). William Kendall was an Australian swimmer.
William Kendall (11 June 1916 – 27 August 2004) was an Australian swimmer. He competed in the men's 100 metre freestyle at the 1936 Summer Olympics, reaching the semi-finals but not the finals. During his semi-final Olympic swim, Kendall became the first Australian to break the one-minute barrier in his event with a time of 59.9 seconds, leaving him in 5th place in the semi-final and with a final placing in the event of 9th out of 45.
Kendall had been the Australian 100-yards champion in 1935, and was willing to finance his own trip to the 1936 Games were he not selected for the Olympic team.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Kendall's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Kendall?
Australian swimmer
When was William Kendall born?
William Kendall was born in 1916 in Newcastle.
When did William Kendall die?
William Kendall died on 27 August 2004.
What was William Kendall's occupation?
William Kendall was a swimmer.
What nationality was William Kendall?
William Kendall was Australian.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Kendall (swimmer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Kendall. https://biography.guide/william-kendall-swimmer/
MLA: "William Kendall." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-kendall-swimmer/.
Chicago: "William Kendall." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-kendall-swimmer/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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