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Tom Watch
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Thomas Watch is an inductee (Honor Coach) of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 1986
Thomas Watch obituary
Thomas H. Watch of Great Britain was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) as an Honour Coach in 1986. He passed away on 9 February 2020 at the age of 93.
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- Watch has coached English Channel swimmers for 56 years and is still offering advice and escorting swimmers at the age of 88.
- For over 60 years, Watch has been a coach and mentor for long distance and channel swimmers needing support, training, encouragement and advice. His coaching career began with Geoffrey Chapman in the 1951 Daily Mail Cross Channel race who was the first British swimmer to finish.
- Watch has accompanied more than 100 swimmers across the English Channel, both from his native Weymouth, but also from across the world.
- In 1965, he accompanied Phil Gollop, who became the youngest swimmer to cross at that time.
- Some of the swimmers he has mentored include Marc Newman, Chad Hundeby who made the fastest Channel Swimming Association crossing on record, Peter Jurzynski, Jacqui Hampson who was the youngest female at the time, Samantha Druce, who at 12 years of age became the youngest of all time and James "Doc" Counsilman, who was the oldest at that time.
- In 1982, Watch was an Observer on Jon Erikson’s historic three-way crossing of the English Channel.
- He serves as a Vice President of the Channel Swimming Association.
IMSHOF Honour Coaches
- Richard “Dick” Campion, Australia, inducted 2010/11
- Gilles Potvin, Canada, inducted 2006
- Gus Ryder, Canada, inducted 1981
- Tom Watch, Great Britain, inducted 1986
- Freda Streeter, Great Britain, inducted 2005
- Don Watson, USA inducted 2014
External links
- 2020 International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Virtual Ceremonies
- Marathon Swimming Heroes In Memoriam
- Marc Newman Reminisces About Swimming On WOWSA Live
- Mervyn Sharp Talks About Achieving His Childhood Dream On WOWSA Live
- Hall Of Famer Peter Jurzynski Talks About His Career On WOWSA Live
- John Goodbody On An Open Water Swimming Icon, Thomas Watch
- Watching Over Many, Impacting All
- So Many Channel Swimmers On His Watch
- Thomas Has Been On Watch For Over 60 Years
- Sharp As A Swimmer, The Mervyn Marathon Magic
- A Quartet Of Heroes And Heroines
- Spellbound By Swimmers
- Channel Swimming Association
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- Honour Coaches In The International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Marathon Swimming
- Open Water Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
