John Cocks – World Record Holder
Some swimmers ‘turn up’ for training sessions casually dressed in
tracksuits or gym gear. Not so John Cocks. In what is perhaps an
insight into his meticulous nature, John usually arrives at the pool in
a collared shirt and smart trousers. He also cuts a fine figure for a
man who’s just turned eighty.
In Masters Swimming age is no barrier, getting older is often
something to celebrate, given that competition is divided into five
year age brackets.
Having captured the National Record for the 400m Individual
Medley in his final year of the 75-79 year age group in 2015, John
Cocks moved up with plenty to look forward to.
So far this year, the spritely all-rounder has not disappointed. He has broken four State (LC 50m,
100m, 200m Free and 200m Back) and six National records (LC 400m IM, 100m Fly, 50m and 100m
Back and SC 400m and 800m Breaststroke) and on 13 March 2016 John Cocks became the fifth
member of the Malvern Marlins Masters Swimming Club to break a FINA Masters World Record. He
is also now 6th fastest of all-time in the World (behind Pat Galvin) for LC 200m Breast stroke.
Having just missed the record at the Malvern Marlins Interclub in February, John travelled up to the
Masters Swimming Queensland State Long Course Championships, where his 200m Individual
Medley time of 3:27.46 (awaiting ratification) in the 80-84yrs age group, took more than two
seconds off the old mark.
World Records don’t just happen. There is a lot more to this humble champion.
John has always loved sport. The eldest of four children, his father was a very good cricketer and his
mother a talented ice-skater. He was lucky to inherit strength, balance and coordination. Having
grown up in Sydney, where he ‘surfed all the time’ John swam from a young age. His competitive
swimming career took off as an Under 12 schoolboy, after he won a backstroke race. His mother,
who wasn’t aware that he could even do backstroke, decided that he should probably have some
lessons.
He was sent to Harry Hay, who had coached Garrick Agnew and Rex Aubrey to the 1948 London
Olympics. John was taught freestyle, and endured a gruelling training regime of an hour a week, for
three weeks prior to the Annual School Carnival! Harry must have recognised John’s endurance
capabilities, because in 1953, the sixteen year old found himself competing in the 400m freestyle
against the younger Murray Rose, at an Interschool Carnival. Although beaten, John proved that he
had the penchant for distance events as well as sprinting.
John’s family moved to Melbourne in 1951, so he became a boarder for his last three years at high
school. This situation obviously suited him well. In his final year ‘Whitebait’ as he was known,
became captain of the school swimming team, setting records in 400m Freestyle and 100m
Backstroke. He also captained the Cricket and Rugby Teams and in running, placed 4th in the NSW All
Schools Championship over a mile.
John was the Senior Boarder Prefect and
matriculated with a Commonwealth
Scholarship.
His excellent academic results gained him
entry into Melbourne University to study
Medicine.
During his uni days, John continued to
play rugby union, another sport in which
he excelled. After captaining the Victorian
U19 side in 1954, he went on to represent
Australia in four matches as a member of
the 1958 Wallabies team on a six week tour of New Zealand.
John was also involved in the logistics side of the torch relay that brought the Olympic Flame from
Cairns to Melbourne in 1956.
In a long and distinguished medical career as a General Surgeon, John was one of the pioneers of
laparoscopic (keyhole) abdominal surgery in Australia, having learnt the procedure in France in 1990.
Following his retirement in 2001, he picked up the golf sticks again and started playing in the senior’s
pennant competition. At 70 years of age he achieved his best golf handicap, the very credible single
figure of eight.
As an aside to golf, his daughters suggested he join them to swim in a mixed relay at the 2003 World
Masters Games in Melbourne. He made his return to the pool and started Masters Swimming. With
very little training the team were chuffed to come tenth in the world. Buoyed by this success he
began to swim a little more. His daughter Alison (herself an excellent swimmer) then suggested that
he participate in the swimming events at the World Masters Games in Sydney in 2009, where
Murray Rose was to be an ambassador. He was lucky enough to enjoy a conversation (reminiscing
about old school days) with Murray at those Games, shortly before Rose’s death from Leukaemia.
John became a member of the Malvern Marlins to attend the 2012 FINA World Masters
Championships in Riccione, where he was a part of the Marlins gold medal winning freestyle and
silver medal winning medley relay teams. At that stage he was still only racing in freestyle and
backstroke.
He subsequently worked on his Butterfly and with his abundance of natural ability and stamina,
recognised that the Medley event may become his strength. In 2014, in his typical perfectionist style,
John sought help from champion breaststrokers, Patrick Galvin and Patrick Devine, to improve his
technique in preparation for World Masters Championships in Montreal 2014. Here he placed
second in the 50m Backstroke and third in both the 200m and 400m Individual Medleys. He has
continued to train three times a week under the skilful guidance of the Marlins coaches and, more
recently Aida Tuciute. He has performed some extra endurance sessions, does the odd practice on
his own and tackles occasional gym workouts, i.e. he works hard. The rest is now in the history
books.
Of course it is also true that behind every successful man there is a great woman and John Cocks is
no exception. His wife of 54 years, his high school sweetheart Robyn, has supported him every step
of the way (in both his career and sporting achievements). Robyn can always be found, sitting in the
stands at competitions, loyally writing down not only John’s split times, but also those of other
members of the Marlins. They have two daughters together, Jennifer and Alison. The elder of
Alison’s children Tomas, is continuing the family tradition of excellence in swimming. He loves back
stroke and competed at State Level in 2015.
John’s attributes along with his wry sense of humour and ready smile, have earned him not only a
World Record, but also the club’s Best and Fairest Award for 2015 and the Presidency of Malvern
Marlins for 2016. He has also won the Masters Swimming Australia Swim Series in the 75-79 year
age group for the past two years.
On top of all this, John still finds time to enjoy golf, bridge, sailing, and travelling.
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