THE LATE COLIN FRENCH TO BE INDUCTED INTO WPA HALL OF FAME

In the countdown to the 2023 Water Polo Australia (WPA) Annual Awards, WPA is pleased to unveil the Hall of Fame inductees for 2021 and 2023.

CLICK HERE to get your tickets to the 2023 Water Polo Australia Annual Awards, that will include presentation of the Hall of Fame inductees.

The Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame recognises those individuals who have made an exceptional contribution over an extended period of time to water polo as a player, administrator, coach, referee or in another capacity.

The Late Colin French will be posthumously inducted into the Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame this Friday 28 April 2023.

Colin French was a stalwart of the game in Victoria and made his mark on the sport of water polo as a player, coach and manager, at all levels of the game. He made history as a member of the Australian Men’s Water Polo Team which made its Olympic debut at the London 1948 Olympics and he remained with the team as its manager and coach for many years afterwards.   

French started out with the Melbourne Swimming Club and the Brighton Beach Water Polo Club. As a player, he represented Victoria between 1946-1951, was elected captain of the team in 1949 and became the Victorian team coach between 1952-53.    

French was the vice-captain of the 10-man team that represented Australia at the 1948 Olympics. The team’s journey to the Games took longer than the Games themselves, as the water polo team travelled to England by sea. It was a voyage of 36 days including a stop in Colombo where the team played two matches against a local side that was coached by Australian expatriates. The Aussies ensured they were competition ready by training in the ship’s pool and they played a host of friendlies upon their arrival in Europe. Despite a gallant effort, the team was defeated by eventual gold medallists Italy, as well as Yugoslavia in the group stages. A group round victory was awarded after Palestine withdrew from the competition. 

Putting his Olympics experience to good use, French joined the Australian team once more and travelled to Auckland for the 1950 Empire Games. In a two-nation competition, the Aussies defeated New Zealand to take the gold medal in what was an exhibition event.

French remained an influential member of the Australian Men’s Water Polo Team until 1956 as the manager of the team at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and manager and coach in Melbourne 1956. It was a fitting appointment for the Victorian who was given the opportunity to represent his country in front of a home crowd.

Source: Water Warriors, Chronicles of Australian Water Polo