Des Renford MBE (1927-1999) was a renowned Australian marathon swimmer.
Des successfully swam the English Channel 19 times from 19 attempts. This feat remains an epic achievement in Australian sporting history. In the 1970s he held the title of King of the Channel.
His rivalry with two Britons, Kevin Murphy and Mike Read, have become part of the folklore of the sport. In 1977, Des and Kevin agreed to three races against one another. Kevin won the first – 10 miles in shark cages in Sydney Harbour. Des won the second – a Channel crossing.
On the last race, the length of Loch Ness, where the temperature was at times near freezing, Des was pulled from the water after six and a half hours suffering from hypothermia and taken to hospital. Although Kevin went on another two and a half hours, he also failed to complete the course.
Des grew up in and lived in Maroubra his whole life. He was a butcher, a barkeeper and a bookmaker.
But Des is perhaps most well known for his association with what is now known as the Des Renford Leisure Centre - the former Heffron Pool was renamed in his honour on 1 March 2000.
He trained at the Centre, spending countless hours in the pool and he generously donated to the Special Olympics group. He also formed a Coffee Club to give people of all swimming abilities the opportunity to swim and share a cup of coffee together.
Both of these groups still operate within the Centre today.
