Joan Harrison
Harrison in 1950
Personal information
Full nameJoan Cynthia Harrison
Nationality South Africa
Born (1935-11-29) 29 November 1935
East London, Cape Province, Union of South Africa (now in Eastern Cape)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, backstroke
ClubSpringbok swimming team
Medal record
Representing  South Africa
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1952 Helsinki 100 m backstroke
British Empire Games
Gold medal – first place 1950 Auckland 440 yd freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1954 Vancouver 110 yd backstroke
Gold medal – first place 1954 Vancouver 4×110 yd freestyle relay
Silver medal – second place 1954 Vancouver 3×110 yd medley relay
Bronze medal – third place 1950 Auckland 110 yd freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1954 Vancouver 110 yd freestyle

Joan Cynthia Harrison (later Breetzke, born 29 November 1935) is a retired South African swimmer who won the 100 m backstroke event at the 1952 Olympics.[1]

Harrison's mother was a swimmer and her father played rugby. Joan went to Clarendon High School for Girls in East London. At age 13, she held three junior and two senior national records, and two national senior swimming titles. In 1950, aged 14, she won the 440 yd freestyle at the British Empire Games, beating the previous games record by 13 seconds and finishing 7 seconds ahead of other competitors, and was declared the outstanding woman swimmer of the games. She won two more gold medals at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. In 1982 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Joan Harrison". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Joan Harrison". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.


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