Portal:University of Oxford/Selected biography/20

Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes (1895–1970) was an Australian soldier, Olympian and Olympic Games organiser, and politician. Kent Hughes was born in Melbourne. His studies at Christ Church, Oxford as a Rhodes scholar were delayed by service in the army in World War I. He represented Australia in athletics as a hurdler at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. Elected to the Victorian state parliament in 1927, Kent Hughes rose to the position of Deputy Premier of Victoria. Kent Hughes proved to be a controversial figure in politics, and was never afraid to publicly espouse his personal beliefs, such as an admiration for fascism, of which he had a poor understanding. He re-enlisted in the army at the outbreak of World War II but spent four years as a Japanese prisoner of war. Kent Hughes returned to Victorian state politics until switching to federal politics in 1949. He was appointed a Minister in the federal government led by Robert Menzies but complained his responsibilities were trifling. More interesting to him was the chairmanship of the 1956 Summer Olympics Organising Committee; his role has led sporting historians to refer to him as "one of the most important figures in Olympic History". (more...)