SYDNEY, April 15: Four-time Olympic gold medallist Murray Rose died here on Sunday from leukaemia at the age of 73, Swimming Australia said.

The Scotland-born Rose won three gold medals in Melbourne in 1956 and gold, silver and bronze in Rome in 1960. His golds in 1956 came in the 400 and 1,500-metre freestyle events and the 4x200-metre freestyle relay. In Rome, he won the 400 gold and silver in the 1,500.

Swimming Australia president David Urquhart said Rose’s death was a ‘great loss for the sport’.

“The name Murray Rose is synonymous with success in the sport of swimming, and his achievements in Melbourne in 1956 will go down as the stuff of legend,” Urquhart said. “Murray Rose is part of the swimming DNA in this country. His success inspired a generation.”

Rose represented Australia for the final time at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962, winning every event he competed in for four gold medals.

He based himself in the United States around the same time to study at the University of Southern California, majoring in drama and television and having several roles in movies.

He was honoured in 2000 when he appeared with other Australian Olympic stars such as Dawn Fraser, Betty Cuthbert and Shirley Strickland on Australian stamps to commemorate the Sydney Games.

“I’m just extremely sad at the passing of one of the greatest swimmers of all time and a great mate,” said John Konrads, who won the 1,500-metre gold at Rome ahead of Rose in 1960.—AP