Tom Holt

The son of a civil engineer based in Uganda, Tom Holt and his older brother John learned to swim in Lake Victoria. A younger brother, Mick, was born in Mombassa, Kenya, and when the family returned from Africa, and lived in Monmouth, Wales, the brothers regularly swam in the River Wye. When their father heard of the exploits of Paul Radmilovic, Weston-super-Mare’s best known Olympic swimmer and water polo player, he moved the family to Weston in 1937 where the three siblings swam at the local baths. That same year, at the Somerset Boy Scouts Meeting at the Whitestone Baths, Tom won the junior cup, aged 13, while John won the senior cup. The three brothers all played together in the Weston water polo team and all three served their country in World War II. Tom and John in the RAF, while Mick served in the Royal Navy Air Arm.

After the War, Tom reached the final of the 440 yards freestyle at the 1946 ASA Championships at New Brighton, and the following year, finished second in the 440 to brother John at the Western Counties Championship. Tom had his best finish in the Nationals at Scarborough in 1948, when he finished second behind the defending champion Jack Hale, in the 440 free. The three Holt brothers were all selected for the 1948 Olympics, but Mick could not compete in the water polo competition because he could not get time away from work with the Royal Navy Air Arm. After the War, Tom emigrated to Australia, and served as a warrant officer in the Royal Australian Air Force from 1952-78.