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George Park at the 1954 British Empire Games,
Vancouver British Columbia. To contact George geochuck@hotmail.com
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George Park's Bio 1952 - George trained to participate in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki Finland,
but during his 1st heat (440 freestyle)which was his specialty event he lost consciousness after 200 yds and was pulled from
the water. After this setback, George changed his specialty events to sprints only - 100 freestyle and butterfly. During this
time, he also played waterpolo for the Hamilton Aquatic Club 1953.
- After changing from mid-distance swimming to sprinting, he set new Canadian records in the 50 and 100 freestyle and butterfly
1954 - George set a new Canadian record for the 100 freestyle during
the Canadian Championships and qualified to be a member of th 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He anchored two
2nd place finish relays and came 4th in the 100 freestyle - beaten by the top three swimmers in the world at that time from
Australia. March 1955 - The Hamilton Aquatic Club won the Canadian
Waterpolo Championship with George swimming at centre. April 1955
- Pan American Games in Mexico City. Placed 2nd to Clarke Scholes, the Olympic and World Champion for 100 mts. July 1955 - Internation Meet in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio George placed 1st defeating
the world champion, Clarke Scholes. 1956 - George set a new Canadian
Records for the 50 yds and 100 mts freestyle, and qualified for the Olympic Games in Melbourne Australia. George was considered
at the time to be within the top three sprinters in the world and his training indicated that he had a good chance to get
on the podium. During the heats for the 100 mts freestyle, George was leading for the first 50 mts by a half body length then
the unforseen happened... the turn marker in George's lane was three feet closer to the wall than it should have been??? When
he went into his flip turn, he hit his head on the wall - was stunned, and came off the wall in 8th place. He caught everyone
but the top three swimmers in the heat and finished fourth one tenth of a second behind the last qualifier. 1958 - George created new records for the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly and
qualified for the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff Wales. Again bad luck struck with George stepping
into a pothole sustaining a green fracture in his right ankle. He still competed with his ankle wrapped in tensure bandages
and contrubuted by helping the relay teams win medals.
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George talks
about the past. When I was young, I swam every event and was considered a middle distance swimmer.
In 1952, at age 19, I was sick (had mono). I was bed ridden for 6 weeks. I was out of bed for a couple of weeks and swam in
the olympic trials. The first event I was entered in was the 440. At 200 yards, I went unconcious and was pulled out of the
pool, that was it for the 1952 olympics and no more distance swimming for a long time. My work outs after that comprised of
500 yards twice a day plus waterpolo practice & games and swim meets on weekends.
I represented Canada in
the 1954 Commonwealth games and swam the 110 yards placing 4th, and second in three relays. After the 54 games I retired from
competition and only played water polo. In Feb 1955 my coach called me and told me I was selected to represent Canada in the
Pan Am Games in Mexico, the selection was made on past preformances. I started training but was swimming very badly, I could
not get my time below one min. for 100 yards (stinko). I decided not to go but the next day at a time trial I did a 51 second
100 time trial. I decided to go. It worked out fine I came second in the Pan Am games, just touched out by Clarke Scholes
the 1952 Olympic Champion.
In 1956 Melbourne Olympic pool. When they constructed this pool they forgot to mark
the bottom of the swim pool with the "T" to warn the approach of the turn. They took lead weighted black rubber
pads and placed them on the bottom of the pool. My times were very good and I figured I would be in the top three, if not
first.
Three days before the heats I was taken to the hospital with a temperature of 1:04 which stayed with me
for two days. It was the first time I ever prayed for god to let me live. I got out of the hospital and went to the trials.
I got on the starting block. When the gun went off I went to the front ahead of Gary Chapman from Australia. As I approached
the turn I saw the marker on the bottom of the pool figuring two more strokes and turn. One stroke and I went head first into
the wall (the rubber marker on my lane had been moved three feet closer than it should have been) I was dazed and came off
the wall last behind Ron Roberts of Great Britain. I tried as hard as I could and I got back into 4th for the heat.
I was 1 tenth of a second behind the last qualifier. So did not make it past the heats. The day of the final I swam 110 yard
which is very close to 100 meters, in another pool and was faster than the winner.
Was it bad luck or did someone
move the pad. Guess what that's the breaks. I have hated that pool eversince and was happy when it was torn down.
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