George MACKENZIE

Former policeman George MacKenzie was involved in nine Olympics. He was five times a competitor between 1908-28 and was then a coach to the British wrestling team at Berlin in 1936, an organiser in 1948, head of the British wrestling team in 1952, and in 1956 was secretary of the British Wrestling Association. He had the honour of carrying the flag at the Melbourne Opening Ceremony. His wife Lily also became involved in the sport and in 1948 was the first woman to be a wrestling recorder at the Olympics.

Despite his five Olympic appearances, in both the freestyle and Greco-Roman classes, George’s best finish was fourth in the lightweight freestyle competition in 1908. The following year MacKenzie was the British lightweight champion. It was to be the first of 10 British titles at lightweight and featherweight between then and 1941 when he was over 52 years of age. He also became a highly respected coach at the Ashdown Club in Islington, London and the club provided seven members of the 16-strong Great Britain team for the 1948 London Games. George died in 1957, just seven months after carrying the British flag at the Melbourne Olympics.