On 17 July, former Olympians Kaarle McCulloch and Michelle Ford, honoured the memory of the late Cecil Healy, the only Australian Olympic gold medalist to die in combat, at a ceremony in France.

The pair laid wreaths and flowers on Healy’s grave at a war cemetery in the small French village of Assevillers, an hour north of Paris.

Freestyle swimmer Cecil Healy, who won gold and silver at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics Games, was killed in France just 73 days before the end of World War One. 

A member of the 19th (Sportsman’s) Battalion, 2nd Lt Healy and the other Australian soldiers had come to liberate the villages of the Somme area when he was gunned down on 29 August 1918. 

His death was keenly felt in the Australian Olympic movement, not only because of his exceptional qualities as a swimmer, but particularly for the extraordinary act of sportsmanship he displayed at the Stockholm 1912 Games.

Cecil Healy in Paris. Photo courtesy: John Devitt and Larry Writer

Healy denied himself a certain gold medal by insisting the race favourite Duke Kahanamoku be allowed to compete in the 100 metres freestyle final, despite the American champion missing his semi-final due to an apparent mix-up.

His stance led to officials holding a special semi-final, which included Kahanamoku. The American went on to win the final with the Australian picking up the silver.

Healy felt that without Kahanamoku in the race, any gold medal would be tarnished.

“What stands out is his leadership, his bravery and his sportsmanship. And of course, he was such a wonderful athlete. Accounts of his life paint a vivid picture of a great Australian who lived his Olympic values. What a tragedy that he lost his life at a young age with the First World War coming to an end,” said Kaarle McCulloch, Australian Olympic Team Deputy Chef de Mission and dual Olympic track cyclist.

Cecil Healy in uniform. Photo courtesy: John Devitt and Larry Writer.

“He and Duke Kahanamoku were obviously great friends with the Duke’s visit to Australia in 1914 putting surfing on the map in Australia. And now surfing is an Olympic sport – something that Cecil and Duke Kahanamoku could not have imagined back then.”

Dual Olympian and Moscow 1980 gold medallist swimmer Michelle Ford joined the commemoration honouring Cecil Healy’s courage, as did Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman MP, Australia’s Ambassador to France Ms Gillian Bird PSM and the Mayor of Assevillers Didier Jacob.