Australia at the 1964 Summer Paralympics

Australia at the Paralympic Games

Flag of Australia
IPC code  AUS
NPC Australian Paralympic Committee
At the 1964 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo
Competitors
Medals
Rank: 4		 Gold
12		 Silver
11		 Bronze
7		 Total
30
Paralympic history (summary)
Summer Games
1960 • 1964 • 1968 • 1972 • 1976 • 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1996 • 2000 • 2004 • 2008 • 2012
Winter Games
1976 • 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1994 • 1998 • 2002 • 2006 • 2010

Contents

The games

Elizabeth Edmondson was the youngest competitor at the 1964 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo amongst athletes from all nations.[1] She won three gold medals in the 1964 Summer Paralympics in the following events: the women's class 5 50 metre breaststroke with a world record time of 1.04.6;[2] women's class 5 50 metre backstroke with a world record time of 0.50.8;[3] women's class 5 complete 50 metre freestyle with a world record time of 0.39.7.[4] She also won a silver medal in the class 4 incomplete 50 metre backstroke event with a time of 0.52.3, that beat the old world record.[5] At the conclusion of the 1964 Games, Edmondson's parents acknowledged that swimming had greatly helped their daughter, but felt that she needed to quit the sport and concentrate on her education because swimming would not provide her with standing in life.[6] After the 1964 games, Edmondson returned home and prepared for school exams.[1]

Athletes

Australia had fifteen athletes at the 1964 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, which were held from 8–12 November. The team members were:

Athlete Location
Daphne Ceeney New South Wales
Allan McLucas New South Wales
Trevor French New South Wales
John Martin New South Wales
Gary Hooper New South Wales
Bruce Thwaites New South Wales
Elaine Schreiber Victoria
Michael Dow Victoria
Vic. Renaldson Queensland
Marion O'Brien Western Australia
Frank Ponta Western Australia
Bill Mather-Brown Western Australia
Lionel Cousens Western Australia
Elizabeth Edmondson Western Australia

The Australian team returned home with 16 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze medals. Australia's main victories were in the pool, where Roy Fowler won 3 gold medals and Elizabeth Edmondson also won 3 gold medals at the age of 14.

To the games

After the games

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ a b "Young Heroine Returns". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia): p. 7. 19 November 1964. 
  2. ^ International Paralympic Committee; Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (2000). Paralympic Games results : Rome 1960 to Atlanta 1996. Sydney, Australia: Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee. p. 536. OCLC 223030936. 
  3. ^ International Paralympic Committee; Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (2000). Paralympic Games results : Rome 1960 to Atlanta 1996. Sydney, Australia: Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee. p. 535. OCLC 223030936. 
  4. ^ International Paralympic Committee; Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (2000). Paralympic Games results : Rome 1960 to Atlanta 1996. Sydney, Australia: Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee. p. 534. OCLC 223030936. 
  5. ^ International Paralympic Committee; Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (2000). Paralympic Games results : Rome 1960 to Atlanta 1996. Sydney, Australia: Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee. p. 512. OCLC 223030936. 
  6. ^ "Another Golden Girl, Elizabeth Beats Polio". The Herald-Sun (Melbourne, Victoria: AAP, Reuters): p. 15. 11 November 1964.