Houston Office Boasts a Dual Olympian
8 August 2007
When Geoffrey Ferreira took part in a school water polo competition as a teenager,
little did he realise that it would set him on a path to creating Olympic history
in his native Trinidad & Tobago.
The water polo matches took place in a local swimming pool, and it was there
that he was encouraged to begin serious training, not as a water polo player,
but as a swimmer.
“My school was looking to start up a water polo league, and really they
were looking for boys who could just swim, as opposed to being good water polo
players. I could swim, so I volunteered.” Geoffrey said from BHP Billiton’s
Houston office where he works in Petroleum Human Resources as Manager for the
Exploration group.
“To start a water polo match, the referee places the ball in the middle
of the pool, and one nominated member from each team swims out to try and reach
the ball first.
“I managed to win first possession for my team consistently, beating
boys who were national level swimmers in Trinidad.
“So people told me to start training, which I did, and the rest is now
history,” he said.
Geoffrey’s decision to take part in those early water polo games as
a 16-year-old led to an incredible journey that eventually saw him become the
first and only swimmer to represent Trinidad & Tobago at an Olympics Games,
first at Mexico City in 1968, then four years later at Munich, swimming the
sprint butterfly and freestyle events.
For Geoffrey, selection for Mexico City represented more than just a debut
Olympic experience, for it marked the first time he had competed in a 50 metre
pool, having only ever trained and competed in 25-metre facilities.
And if that wasn’t a big enough challenge, due to financial constraints,
he was forced to attend the Games without a coach.
“Competing in a 50-metre pool for the first time and being there without
a coach was a challenge for a young man competing at his first Olympics, but
I had a responsibility to represent Trinidad, my family and myself to the best
of my ability, and that’s what I was determined to do.
“It was such a great thrill to be there competing against the world’s
best,” he said.
His efforts in Munich saw him reach the semi-final of the 100-metres freestyle,
an event eventually won by the legendary American Mark Spitz, who went on to
claim a record seven gold medals at the Games. A record that stands today.
Now days Geoffrey’s competitive drive is as active as ever, taking part
in masters swimming competitions around the world.
He is now ranked among the world’s top ten masters swimmers for the 50-54
age group according to the international governing body, FINA.
Commenting on BHP Billiton’s sponsorship of the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games, Geoffrey said: “I am very proud that my employer, BHP Billiton
is sponsoring the Olympic Games.
“It’s something that I can appreciate probably more so than the
average person, given my past experiences, but I think our contribution to
Beijing will help to make it a wonderful event,” he said.