Ivan Cuthbert Stedman (13 April 1895 – 7 January 1979) was an Australian
freestyle and
breaststroke
Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can b ...
swimmer of the 1920s, who won a silver medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay at the
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...
in Antwerp, Belgium. He was born in
Oakleigh, a suburb in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
, Victoria.
After being injured in the
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme (French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
during the First World War, Stedman was selected to carry the flag for
Australasia
Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecolo ...
at the Opening Ceremony of the
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...
(Australia and New Zealand sent a combined team). In the 100-metre freestyle, Stedman was eliminated in the semifinals, but made the final of the 200-metre breaststroke, where he came last of the five finalists. In an all-Australian team, Stedman combined with
Henry Hay,
William Herald
William Sharp Hannah Herald (28 April 1900 – 13 February 1976) was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1910s and early 1920s, who won a silver medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. He al ...
and
Frank Beaurepaire
Sir Francis Joseph Edmund Beaurepaire (13 May 1891 – 29 May 1956) was an Australian distance freestyle swimmer from the 1900s to the 1920s, who won three silver and three bronze medals, from the 1908 Summer Olympics in London to the 1 ...
to claim silver in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay. The American team, led by
Duke Kahanamoku, won by an extremely large margin of 21 seconds. Stedman also competed at the
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The op ...
in Paris, with less success, where he was eliminated in the semifinal of the 100-metre freestyle and the heats of 200-metre breaststroke. Stedman was a regular competitor in the
Race to Prince's Bridge, the annual three-mile Yarra River swim. In 1952, he won the race at age 52 with a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes, 53 seconds.
See also
*
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Men's events 50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
200 metre ...
References
Bibliography
*
External links
ADB biography
1895 births
1979 deaths
People educated at Brighton Grammar School
Australian male breaststroke swimmers
Olympic swimmers of Australia
Swimmers at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Olympic silver medalists for Australia
Swimmers from Melbourne
Australian male freestyle swimmers
Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Olympic silver medalists in swimming
Australian military personnel of World War I
20th-century Australian people
People from Oakleigh, Victoria
Military personnel from Melbourne
Sportsmen from Victoria (Australia)
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