Mark William Stockwell (born 5 July 1963) is an Australian former competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

and three-time Olympic silver medallist. Stockwell is a

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

native who specialised in

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Laboritories Media * '' FreeStyle'', ...

sprint events, and had a successful international swimming career during the mid-1980s including the Olympics, Pan Pacific Championships, and Commonwealth Games. Following his retirement from competitive swimming, he has become a successful business executive and has been active in the administration of national sports organisations in Australia.

Early years and education

Stockwell was born and raised in

Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

, TIQ Board announced
" Export Council of Australia (22 October 2013). Retrieved 11 July 2015. the son of Bill and Necia Stockwell.Daryl Passmore,
Queensland's Top 150 Rich List: Former Olympic swimmer Mark Stockwell has a winning approach
" ''The Courier Mail'' (16 September 2014). Retrieved 11 July 2015. He is a 1980 graduate of

St Laurence's College St Laurence's College (known colloquially as Lauries) is an independent Catholic primary and secondary school for boys, located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1915. the school is a m ...

, a Roman Catholic boys' high school in Brisbane. Stockwell was an

Australian Institute of Sport The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is a high performance sports training institution in Australia. The institute's headquarters were opened in 1981 and are situated in the northern suburb of Bruce, Canberra. The AIS is a division of the ...

scholarship holder from 1982 to 1984, and again in 1987.Australian Institute of Sport
The Board
. Retrieved 11 July 2015. He undertook commerce and engineering studies at the

University of Queensland The University of Queensland is a Public university, public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone ...

, and economics coursework at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...

. He also attended the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

in the United States.Mike Bianchi,
UF swimmer anxious to test NCAA waters
" ''The Gainesville Sun'', p. 1B (14 January 1985). Retrieved 11 July 2015.

Swimming career

Stockwell won three medals at the

1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and commonly known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the ...

in Los Angeles. In the men's 100-metre freestyle, Stockwell finished in 50.24 seconds and claimed a silver medal behind American swimmer

Rowdy Gaines Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines IV (born February 17, 1959) is an American former competitive swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is referred to as "The ...

's Olympic record time of 49.80 seconds.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games
Men's 100 metres Freestyle Final
Retrieved 11 July 2015. The outcome was controversial, however, because of a premature starter gun and a quick start by Gaines.Frank Litsky,

" ''The New York Times'' (1 August 1984). Retrieved 11 July 2015. Gaines's coach,

Richard Quick Richard Walter Quick (January 31, 1943 – June 10, 2009) was a Hall of Fame head coach for the women's swim teams at the University of Texas from 1982 through 1988 and at Stanford University, from 1988 through 2005. In an unprecedented achievem ...

, knew of starter Frank Silvestri's tendency to fire the starter gun almost immediately when the competitors mounted the blocks;Rick Feneley,
From the pool into deep water
" ''Sydney Morning Herald'' (27 July 2013). Retrieved 11 July 2015.Jeff Commings,
Whose Start Drew Controversy And Eventual Gold At the 1984 Olympics?
" ''Swimming World Magazine'' (31 July 2014). Retrieved 11 July 2015. as a result Gaines gained about a metre's head start on the competition, and held Stockwell off to claim the gold medal. Video of the event confirmed that Stockwell had not been set when the starter pulled the trigger. Stockwell and the

Australian Olympic Federation The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is the National Olympic Committee responsible for developing, promoting, and protecting the Olympic Movement in Australia. The AOC has the exclusive responsibility for the representation of Australia at ...

lodged an official protest, but it was denied. Stockwell, along with teammates Greg Fasala,

Neil Brooks Neil Brooks (born 27 July 1962) is an Australian former sprint freestyle swimming, freestyle swimmer best known for winning the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics, 1980 Olympics in Moscow as part of the ''Quiet ...

, and

Michael Delany Michael William Delany (born 22 August 1965) is an Australian former sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1980s, who won a silver medal in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Delany was best known for being ...

, won another silver medal in the men's 4×100-metre freestyle relay, finishing in 3:19.68 – just 0.63 of a second behind the Americans' new world record of 3:19.05. He also teamed up with

Mark Kerry Mark Anthony Kerry (born 4 August 1959) is an Australian former backstroke and freestyle swimmer of the 1970s and 1980s, who won three Olympic medals, including a gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics a ...

(backstroke), Peter Evans (breaststroke), and

Glenn Buchanan Glenn Robert Buchanan (born 19 November 1962) is an Australian former butterfly swimmer of the 1980s who won two bronze medals in the 100-metre butterfly and the 4x100-metre medley relay, at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Pitted agai ...

(butterfly), swimming the freestyle anchor leg to win the bronze medal in the 4×100-metre medley relay (3:43.25) behind the Americans (3:39.30) and Canadians (3:43.25). He and his freestyle relay teammates were dubbed the "Mean Machine" by the Australian media.QSport.org, Queensland Sport Hall of Fame
Mr Mark Stockwell
Retrieved 11 July 2015. Stockwell was the only Australian athlete to win three Olympic medals in 1984.Australian Olympic Committee
Mark Stockwell Athlete Biography
Retrieved 11 July 2015. After the Olympics, Stockwell attended the

in Gainesville, Florida, United States, where he swam for the

Florida Gators swimming and diving The Florida Gators swimming and diving program represents the University of Florida in the aquatics sports of swimming and diving. The program includes separate men's and women's teams, both of which compete in Division I of the National Coll ...

team under coach

Randy Reese Randy Reese (born 1946) is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. Reese is best known for coaching the Florida Gators swimming and diving teams of the University of Florida to four national championships, and coaching the winners of ei ...

during the 1984–85 school year.
Florida Swimming & Diving 2014–15 Media Supplement
'', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 79, 83, 87, 102 (2014). Retrieved 11 July 2015. He won three

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...

titles (50- and 100-yard freestyle, 400-yard freestyle relay), and received

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

honours in each of the three events. While attending the university he dated his future wife, fellow Gators swimmer

Tracy Caulkins Tracy Anne Stockwell, OAM, (born January 11, 1963), née Tracy Anne Caulkins, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, and former world record-holder in three events. Caulkins was ...

, whom he had met in the warm-up pool at the 1984 Olympics. He followed his Olympic performance with a bronze medal for his third-place finish in the 50-metre freestyle (23.44), and a fourth in the 100-metre freestyle (51.64) at the 1985 Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo. By the time the

1986 Commonwealth Games The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. This was the second Commonwealth Games to be held in Edinburgh. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largely African, Asian and Caribbe ...

were held in Edinburgh, Stockwell had fallen back from his Olympic times in Los Angeles. He claimed a gold medal with his Australian teammates Fasala, Matthew Renshaw, and Neil Brooks in the 4×100-metre relay (3:21.58), and finished seventh in the 100-metre freestyle (51.61). He retired from competitive swimming in 1986.Mark Ludlow,
Going for gold after the game is over
" ''The Age'' (15 January 2015). Retrieved 11 July 2015. In December 1989, ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

'' newspaper recognised Stockwell as one of the three best Australian swimmers of the 1980s.

Life after swimming

Stockwell married American swimmer Tracy Caulkins, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, in 1991 in her hometown of

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

.Jill Lieber,
Love Games: Athletes find rewards better than gold
" ''USA Today'' (26 August 2004). Retrieved 11 July 2015. The couple live in Brisbane with their five children. He received an

Australian Sports Medal The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, off ...

for his swimming achievements in 2000, and was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame in 2009. Stockwell is the managing director of the family-owned and Queensland-based property development, investment, and management firm, W. A. Stockwell Pty Ltd. He and his brother-in-law Mike Kelso are co-owners of the company that was established as a construction firm by his parents more than sixty years prior. The firm has had successful development ventures in residential, leisure, retail, commercial, and industrial property, and has undertaken a phased AU$350 million residential development in Brisbane's West End. He and his family members were included among the 14 new entrants on the 2014 "Rich List," with a combined estimated net worth of AU$101 million. Stockwell serves on the board of directors of the

Australian Sports Commission The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is the Australian Government commission responsible for supporting and investing in sport in Australia. The Commission incorporates the Australian Institute of Sport. From 2018 to 2022, it was known as S ...

, and is the deputy chairman of the board. He is also the chairman of the Australian Sports Foundation, a non-profit company that raises money for Australian sport projects.Australian Sports Foundation
Our Board
Retrieved 11 July 2015. He previously served as the chairman of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, having led the committee through its successful application process, but was sacked by

Campbell Newman Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman (born 12 August 1963) is an Australian former politician who served as the 38th Premier of Queensland from 26 March 2012 to 14 February 2015. He served as the member for Ashgrove in the Legislative Assembly of Que ...

. He is the chairman of Trade and Investment Queensland, the Queensland state government's foreign investment and export program, and a former national boardmember and Queensland division past president of the

Property Council of Australia The Property Council of Australia is a prominent industry organisation that represents the Australian property sector, advocating for its growth and positive impact on the nation. Founded in 1969, the Property Council operates across all major ca ...

. Stockwell is the past chairman and a trustee of the St Laurence's Old Boys' Foundation, which funds need-based scholarships for boys whose families cannot otherwise afford the tuition and fees at his alma mater,

. He is a Trustee of the Stockwell Foundation, a charitable organisation established by him and his wife to benefit at-risk children. Stockwell ran in the election for the presidency of the

Australian Olympic Committee The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is the National Olympic Committee responsible for developing, promoting, and protecting the Olympic Movement in Australia. The AOC has the exclusive responsibility for the representation of Australia at ...

, in the race to succeed John Coates in April 2022, but lost to

Ian Chesterman Ian Andrew Chesterman (born 17 April 1959) is an Australian sports administrator serving as the current president of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), having succeeded John Coates in 2022. Chesterman was re-elected unopposed for his secon ...

Political views

Stockwell is a supporter of the

centre-right Centre-right politics is the set of right-wing politics, right-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. It is commonly associated with conservatism, Christian democracy, liberal conservatism, and conservative liberalis ...

Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia (LP) is the prominent centre-right political party in Australia. It is considered one of the two major parties in Australian politics, the other being the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The Liberal Party was fo ...

. During the

2019 Australian federal election The 2019 Australian federal election was held on Saturday, 18 May 2019, to elect members of the 46th Parliament of Australia. The election had been called following the dissolution of the 45th Parliament as elected at the 2016 double dissol ...

campaign, Stockwell made a donation of $1,200

AUD The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD; also abbreviated A$ or sometimes AU$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; and also referred to as the dollar or Aussie dollar) is the official currency and legal tender of Au ...

to the

Liberal National Party of Queensland The Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) is a major conservative political party in Queensland, Australia. It was formed in 2008 by a merger of the Queensland divisions of the Liberal Party and the National Party. In most other states ...

(LNP).

References

Bibliography

* Andrews, Malcolm, ''Australia at the Olympic Games'', Australian Broadcasting Corporation Books, Sydney, New South Wales, p. 409 (2000). .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stockwell, Mark 1963 births Living people Australian male freestyle swimmers Australian Institute of Sport swimmers Australian National University alumni Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia Commonwealth Games gold medallists in swimming Florida Gators men's swimmers Australian expatriate swimmers in the United States Olympic bronze medalists in swimming Olympic bronze medalists for Australia Olympic silver medalists for Australia Olympic swimmers for Australia Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Swimmers from Brisbane Swimmers at the 1984 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1986 Commonwealth Games University of Queensland alumni Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists in swimming Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Sportsmen from Queensland People educated at St Laurence's College 20th-century Australian sportsmen