G.H.Webster Olympic Test Medals. Research From A.S.A.

Firstly the photo of G H Webster and the Olympic Test. In the early 1900's the ASA set up times for swimmers to test themselves against and if they reached the target they were awarded a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal. These times were recorded by the ASA. George Wesbster competed for Great Britain in the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games in the bacicstroke events. In 1912 he reached the semi-finals in a time of 1 minute 29.8 seconds. He was a member of Sowerly Bridge swimming club. He was coached by Walter Brickett who was from the St. Pancras club. He eventually became landlord at the Coach & Horses pub in Sheffield. He was born on 31" July 1875. 

G.H.Webster swan in the 1912 and 1920 Olympics.

Above Text: "winning the hundred in 6lasec. .B A speedy back-stroke exponent has been found in G. H. Webster, who completed 400 metres in 6 min 17 3/5 sec, which easily constitutes a world's record. 

G .W. Gaidzic (U.S.A.) won the diving championship, and, excepting his entry, this year's events were confined it Englishmen for the first time for many years. The U.S.A., however, has its "

Quote from the Swimming Year Book 1990:

"At the 1900 Games in Paris, Great Britain, represented by the Osborne Swimming Club of Manchester, won the Gold Medal, with Belgian and French clubs taking the Silver and Bronze. The 1904 Games were held at St Louis, USA, and American club sides won all three medals. London hosted the Games in 1908, and the Water Polo Tournament became truly international: Great Britain won Gold, Belgium-Silver, and Sweden-Bronze. The pattern was similar at the next Olympics: 

1912 Stockholm —1 Great Britain 2 Sweden 3 Belgium 

1920 Antwerp —1 Great Britain 2 Belgium 3 Sweden 

The most famous British player during those early Olympic years was Paul Radmilovic, of Weston super Mare. He took part in four Olympic Games: 1908 London, 1912 Stockholm, 1920 Antwerp, and 1924 Paris, winning Gold Medals at the first three."

This small 1900 water polo silver medal was given to the team members when they came home.

All the 1900 medals were rectangular in size with no hanging loop and they measured 6cm x 4.2cm x 0.3 cm thick. The designer of these medals was Frederic Vernon and they were minted at the Paris Mint. The front of the medal was of a winged goddess scattering laurel branches over Paris and the Exposition grounds. the reverse side depicted a victorious athlete standing on a podium, laurel branch in hand, stadium and Acropolis in the background. The base of the podium doubled as a cartouche on which was inscribed the event or appropriate detail for which that medal was awarded.

4 medals were produced. The gold medals should weigh 57 grams, silver 55 grams, silvered bronze at 57 grams and the bronze medals weighed 64 grams. Some other medals were cast for referees, officials and dignitaries. I have one of these. All the medals were presented in a paper box that was either dark maroon or forest green. (It appears no one knows what differentiated between getting a medal in the maroon or green box!)