John Konrads, the man who swam 26 world records, died at the age of 78

Australian swimmer John Konrads, Olympic champion in the 1,500 meters of the Rome 1960 Games, has passed away at the age of 78. Konrads swam 26 world records in his career. He was inducted into the Australian Sport’s Hall of Fame in 1985.

Konrads is from Latvia but moved to Germany with his parents during the Second World War. A few years after the war, the Latvian family emigrated to Australia.

John and his sister Ilsa learned to swim there. Under the guidance of renowned coach Don Talbot, they grew into world-class swimmers.

John Konrads became Olympic champion in Rome as a teenager. He also picked up two bronze medals at those Games.

John Konrads, the man who swam 26 world records, died at the age of 78
Australian swimmer John Konrads

Sister Ilsa, later also inducted into the Hall of Fame, won silver in the relay there. The ‘Konrad Kids’ swam together 37 world records in that period.

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