Dr. Michael Read, MBE (85, Great Britain, MSF bio here) has been competing for 71 years – and counting.
While Read has remained a focused competitor in both the pool and open water, he has also spent decades behind the scenes on the administrative side of events and people involved in the open water swimming world.
The dual inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was announced as the winner of the Dale Petranech Award for Services to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Chairperson Ned Denison describes his involvement, “Michael attended many IMSHOF Induction and Awards Ceremonies: 2012 in Queen Mary, 2013 in Cork, 2013 in Bute, Scotland, 2017 and 2018 in Windsor, 2024 in Cancun, and 2026 in San Diego. No other dual IMSHOF/ISHOF Honoree has attended more Ceremonies. Read represented the sport at numerous ISHOF Ceremonies including personally welcoming ‘in’ Jon Erickson and Sandra Bucha Kerscher in 2014.
Second, he has been generous in sharing his memories and knowledge as IMSHOF created and edited biographies and other historic records. This is important because far too much of the history of the sport has been lost (hopefully temporarily) with the passing of swimmers and contributors. Along the way Read was a passionate and appropriate lobbyist for recognition of individuals ‘from the past’ and your efforts paid off with a record setting four inducted in the Class of 2026.“
Steven Munatones says, “Michael’s longevity in the sport is a bright light. He is truly an example of someone who has given much – and offers much, giving back to the sport. Over the course of his 7 decades in swimming, Michael has been smiling before and after he gets out of the water whether it is pools, short-course or long-course, seas, oceans, rivers, bays, lakes, lidos, and lochs…he takes them all on.”
After competing in the 2025 World Masters Championships in Singapore, he told the BBC, “For me swimming is the ultimate. It keeps you fit, it enables you to go to lovely places as I’ve been to, I make friends, I see the world, I’ve just got so much to be thankful for.”
As does the entire sport.
© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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