[2] Coming from the Manly Swimming Club based at Sid Eve's Baths,[2] Hay combined with Frank Beaurepaire, William Herald and Ivan Stedman to claim the silver medal in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at the 1920 Summer Olympics.

[2] Hay later became a professional coach in Sydney and was seconded by Australian team managers at the Summer Olympics from 1924 to 1948.

As it was deemed to be against the spirit of the Games to include coaches, Hay was officially given the title of team masseur.

Les Duff, the manager of the Australian 1928 Summer Olympics team, paid Hay A$10 a week to train Charlton and backstroker Tom Boast.

[4] Hay had arranged to travel to the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki to look after the Australian swimmers but suffered a fatal heart attack just a month before leaving.