
1. The latest addition to a family of swimmers
At the end of the 1920s, Gérard Blitz was 16 years old and left school to learn the art of diamond cutting. He was passionate about swimming. You might say he had something of a predisposition. His father and uncle were members of the Belgian National Water Polo Team and had won several championships. He followed in their footsteps by winning two medals in international competitions. When the Second World War broke out, he joined an elite regiment made up entirely of athletes.