The "Ron the Con" Power cup

Ron was born on the 2nd October 1931 in the London Hospital, Whitechapel.  The Bethnal Green Weight Lifting Club obituary described Ron as “a living link to the past. He spent all of his life within a mile of where he was born. In 1944 he was bombed out of his uncle’s pub in Old Bethnal Green Road (his uncle was killed by the V1 rocket).  He then moved to a prefab in Ion Square (now Gardens) off Hackney Road and when new flats were built, he moved to Wellington Row where he spent the rest of his life.”

Ron joined the Serpentine Swimming Club in 2000, with the aim of swimming the Christmas Day race to quietly raise money for charity.  Ron soon became a favourite of all he met at the lake and was quickly established as “part of the furniture”.

Ron’s lifelong passion was weightlifting, first visiting the Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club aged 16.  Even in his 80s he would still be training 4 times a week. Tuesday and Thursday at the Bethnal Green club and swimming Wednesday and Saturday at the Serpentine.

Ron had also done a bit of boxing in his time and for 20 years had been a member of the London Ex-Boxers Association (LEBA) .  Ron spent many a happy hour chatting with anyone who shared the same passions.  Foremost amongst those at the Serpentine was Gordon Brodie, who had boxed in his youth and in the Army.  Gordon had appartently been in the same crowd as Ron at numerous wrestling and boxing matches attended in and around the East End in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

The “Ron the Con Power cup” was established on the fixture list in 2002, named with reference to the power lifting championships Ron was still entering, and winning, in his 70s.  After Ron’s sad passing in March 2016 his close swimming friends Kirstie Neilson and Mary Olivari took on the honour of jointly sponsoring Ron’s race.

Kirstie formed a wonderful and fun friendship with Ron the Con - driving in from Hertfordshire, she would collect Ron on Saturday mornings at Bethnal Green and chauffeur him to the Serps.  His return home was always a walk across the park, whatever the weather, with Gordon Brodie - chatting boxing and current affairs.

When the Kray Twins film "Legend" was released Ron took Mary and Kirstie along to a cinema watch it.  He spent most of the time chuntering under his breath that real-life events were so different.  He grew up in the East End of London when the Krays were "local likely lads".  He saw a thing or two did Ron!

Kirstie herself has lived and continues to live an incredibly packed life - her hands currently busy with four month-old puppy, Trixie.

In previous years Kirstie has taken time out to travel and explore the world - India, South America and Africa.  She has run marathons, entered numerous triathlons and has recently rather more sedately volunteered to teach horse riding skills to disabled children and adults.  Now living in picturesque Suffolk, she still manages the occassional visit to her beloved Serpentine lake.

Mary started swimming at the Serpentine in 2010.  She swore she would stop her swimming season at the end of September.  Soon she was pushed to swim until the end of October, and then November, and before she knew it she had a place in the Peter Pan Cup.  Mary has never looked back.

This whippet of a lady, who was the editor/publisher of various medical books and journals, was once asked by a colleague what she was doing during retirement - typically Mary said quitely "catching up with friends, theatre, dinners" and casually mentioned "oh and swimming in the Serpentine through the winter" - the lady was completely bowled over!

Though not one for a culinary fanfare, for the many years Mary invited a motley crew back to her flat across the Park for brekkie to warm hearts and spirits post the Christmas Day Race.  Ron became family to both Kirstie and Mary and he was thrilled to be part of this annual festive breakfast and present exchange.

Sitting by the fire, coffee, food, presents, company and laughter made Ron's Christmas Day -  a man who was typically independent, driven and very self-assured.  Mary loved hearing all of Ron's tales of growing up in the East End post-war and all of his adventures - he was truly a man never short of a story .

(Many thanks to Paddy Boyce for his pointers on Kirstie and Mary's Serpentine background)