Hugh Smith

Hugh Smith caused a sensation as a 15-year-old in 1926 when he beat Lawrence Kidd, the champion in 1924 and 1925, to win the Scottish 200 yards breaststroke title, and in record time. He followed that by successfully defending his Scottish junior 100 yards title. Smith went on to break many Scottish records, and in 1928 set new marks for 100, 150 and 200 yards breaststroke. That same year he was also runner-up to Reggie Flint at the ASA Championships. His outstanding year earned a call-up for the Amsterdam Olympics. Smith was runner-up to Flint again at the 1929 ASAs.

Smith was a police constable in the Glasgow force, and in 1936 was a member of the Glasgow police team that won the British life-saving championships. The previous year, he bravely dived into the River Clyde to save a drowning man and, whilst he got him to the riverbank, the man sadly died in hospital shortly afterwards. After his competitive swimming days, Smith turned to water polo, and played for the Glasgow police team.