Murray Rose was being hailed as one the greatest swimmers of all time and an Australian Olympic legend following his death on Sunday after a battle with leukaemia.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist died in Sydney on Sunday morning, aged 73, having been ill for several months and his passing was met with by a flood of tributes from the wider Australian sporting community.

Murray Rose competed at the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics, winning four gold medals. Credit:Jacky Ghossein

Rose emerged as a national hero after winning three gold medals at the 1956 Olympics - in the 4x200m freestyle relay, the 400m freestyle and the 1500m freestyle - all at the age of 17.

He followed up in 1960 in Rome, retaining his 400m freestyle crown and winning a silver medal behind fellow Australian John Konrads in the 1500m.