Gérard Blitz (swimmer)
 Gérard Blitz in 1922 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 August 1901 Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
| Died | 8 March 1979 (aged 77) Ganshoren, Belgium |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Water polo, swimming |
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Medal record | |
Gérard Blitz (1 August 1901 – 8 March 1979) was a Belgian Olympic swimmer and water polo player who competed at the 1920, 1924, 1928 and 1936 Olympics. He was the younger brother of Maurice Blitz, also a water polo player, and uncle of Gérard Blitz who founded Club Med in 1950.[1]
Biography[]
At the 1920 Summer Olympics Blitz won a bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke, and a silver medal with the Belgian water polo team, which also included his brother Maurice. He failed to reach the finals of the 100 m and 4 × 200 m freestyle events.[2]
On 16 September 1921 he set a world record in the 400 m backstroke at 5:59.2, that lasted until 1927.[2][3]
At the 1924 Summer Olympics, the Blitz brothers were still part of the Belgian water polo squad. The team won another silver medal. Blitz also finished fourth in the 100 m backstroke swimming event. He had little luck at the 1928 Games, as his water polo team finished fifth, and he was eliminated in the heats of his swimming events. Eight years later, at the Berlin Games, he won his last Olympic medal, a bronze in water polo. He played all seven matches. Blitz was one of a number of Jewish athletes who won medals at the 1936 Nazi Olympics.[2][4][5]
Blitz died in 1979. In 1990 he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[3]
See also[]
- Belgium men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men)
- List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of select Jewish swimmers
- List of select Jewish water polo players
References[]
- ^ "Gérard Blitz". Olympedia. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Gérard Blitz. sports-reference.com
- ^ Jump up to: a b GERARD BLITZ (BEL) 1990 Honor Pioneer Swimmer/Water Polo. ishof.org
- ^ Taylor, Paul (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics – With a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medalists. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 9781903900888.
- ^ "The Nazi Olympics (Berlin 1936)—Jewish Athletes; Olympic Medalists". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gérard Blitz. |
- Gérard Blitz at Olympic.org (archived)
- Gérard Blitz at OlympicChannel.com (archived)
- Gérard Blitz at Olympics.com
- Gérard Blitz at Olympedia
- Gérard Blitz at International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Gérard Blitz at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
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- 1901 births
- 1979 deaths
- Belgian male freestyle swimmers
- Belgian male backstroke swimmers
- Belgian male water polo players
- Swimmers at the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1928 Summer Olympics
- Water polo players at the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Water polo players at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Water polo players at the 1928 Summer Olympics
- Water polo players at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Olympic swimmers of Belgium
- Olympic water polo players of Belgium
- Olympic silver medalists for Belgium
- Olympic bronze medalists for Belgium
- Sportspeople from Amsterdam
- Jewish swimmers
- Jewish water polo players
- Jewish Belgian sportspeople
- Belgian Jews
- Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
- Olympic medalists in water polo
- Dutch male freestyle swimmers
- Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists in swimming