Michael Read
Michael Peter Read MBE (born 9 June 1941) is an English long-distance swimmer who has the second most crossings of the English Channel – 33 to date. The current Queen of the Channel is Alison Streeter.
Born in Brighton, Read began swimming relatively late at 14 years old. He joined Brighton Swimming Club in 1955 and became its youngest committee member in 1957. During the period from 1969 to 1971 he became a FINA judge, timekeeper, referee and starter and he remembers his time at the Edinburgh Commonwealth pool with great affection. English Schools champion, British Universities Champion, and second in the ASA National Championships in 1959, Read was selected to represent Great Britain in Swimming in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome but unfortunately due to injury, was never able to compete.
He joined the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) in 1969, making his first crossing that year and became a committee member in 1973. He was elected Vice Chairman from 1977–93 and Chairman of the CSA from 1993-1999. He joined the Board of Directors of the newly constituted CSA in 1999 and was elected Chairman. After a long struggle with the former King, Des Renford, he finally became King of the Channel in 1979 and took the record number of crossings from 17 to 31, with Des snatching back the 18th. Read retired from Channel swimming in 1984.Most of his training took place at the Ipswich lido:Broomhill,which is currently closed,pending a refurbishment.www.savebroomhillpool.org
'Michael Read' is featured as a movie character in the following productions:
The Magnificent Duo (1992)
Actors: Michael Bernardo (actor), Jim Brown (actor), Mario Cheung (actor), Martin Corey (actor), Josh Grimson (actor), Jonathan Isgar (actor), Michael James (actor), Chris Kim (actor), Britton K. Lee (actor), Ethan Moore (actor), Jerome Moore (actor), Jonathan Moore (actor), Reginald Moore (actor), Roger Moore (actor), Orlando Ramos (actor),
Genres: Action,Read, Michael Filmography
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2012, role: actor , character name: Grew
Read, Michael Filmography
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1994, role: actor , character name: Lester Billings
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1988, role: actor , character name: Security Guard
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1987, role: actor , character name: Knifeman
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1986, role: miscellaneous crew
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1986, role: actor , character name: Blackie
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1985, role: miscellaneous crew
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1982, role: actor , character name: Lester Billings
We Will Not Go Down (song For Gaza)
A blinding flash of white light
Lit up the sky over Gaza tonight
People running for cover
Not knowing whether they’re dead or alive
They came with their tanks and their planes
With ravaging fiery flames
And nothing remains
Just a voice rising up in the smoky haze
Chorus: We will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never die
We will not go down
In Gaza tonight
Women and children alike
Murdered and massacred night after night
While the so-called leaders of countries afar
Debated on who’s wrong or right
But their powerless words were in vain
And the bombs fell down like acid rain
But through the tears and the blood and the pain
You can still hear that voice through the smoky haze