Australia at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Sporting event delegation

Australia at the
1956 Summer Olympics

IOC code| AUS
NOC| Australian Olympic Committee
Website| www.olympics.com.au
in Melbourne/Stockholm
Competitors| 294 (250 men, 44 women)
Flag bearer| Mervyn Wood (rower)
Medals
Ranked 3rd|

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

––––

Australasia (1908–1912)

Australia was the host nation for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. However, due to Australian quarantine restrictions the equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden. 294 competitors, 250 men and 44 women, took part in 140 events in 18 sports.[1]

## Medalists

[edit]

### Gold

[edit]

* Betty Cuthbert – athletics, women's 100 metres
* Betty Cuthbert – athletics, women's 200 metres
* Shirley Strickland – athletics, women's 80 m Hurdles
* Norma Croker, Betty Cuthbert, Fleur Wenham, and Shirley Strickland – athletics, women's 4 × 100 m Relay
* Joey Browne and Anthony Marchant -- Cycling, men's 2000 m Tandem
* Jon Henricks -- Swimming, men's 100 m Freestyle
* Murray Rose -- Swimming, men's 400 m Freestyle
* Murray Rose -- Swimming, men's 1500 m Freestyle
* David Theile -- Swimming, men's 100 m Backstroke
* John Devitt, Jon Henricks, Kevin O'Halloran, and Murray Rose -- Swimming, men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay
* Dawn Fraser -- Swimming, women's 100 m Freestyle
* Lorraine Crapp -- Swimming, women's 400 m Freestyle
* Lorraine Crapp, Dawn Fraser, Faith Leech, and Sandra Morgan -- Swimming, women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay

### Silver

[edit]

* Graham Gipson, Kevan Gosper, Leon Gregory, and David Lean – athletics, men's 4 × 400 m Relay
* Chilla Porter – athletics, men's High Jump
* Stuart Mackenzie – rowing, men's Single Sculls
* John Devitt -- Swimming, men's 100 m Freestyle
* John Monckton -- Swimming, men's 100 m Backstroke
* Lorraine Crapp -- Swimming, women's 100 m Freestyle
* Dawn Fraser -- Swimming, women's 400 m Freestyle
* John Scott and Roland Tasker -- Sailing, men's Sharpie 12 m²

### Bronze

[edit]

* Hector Hogan – athletics, men's 100 metres
* John Landy – athletics, men's 1500 metres
* Allan Lawrence – athletics, men's 10.000 metres
* Norma Thrower – athletics, women's 80 m Hurdles
* Marlene Mathews – athletics, women's 100 metres
* Marlene Mathews – athletics, women's 200 metres
* Kevin Hogarth -- Boxing, men's Welterweight
* Walter Brown and Dennis Green – canoeing, men's K2 10,000 m Kayak Pairs
* Dick Ploog -- Cycling, men's 1000 m Sprint (Scratch)
* Murray Riley and Mervyn Wood – rowing, men's Double Sculls
* Michael Aikman, Angus Benfield, David Boykett, Bryan Doyle, Harold Hewitt, Jim Howden, Walter Howell, Garth Manton, and Adrian Monger – rowing, men's Eights
* Gary Chapman -- Swimming, men's 100 m Freestyle
* Faith Leech -- Swimming, women's 100 m Freestyle
* Douglas Buxton, Devereaux Mytton, Ernest Wagstaff and Jock Sturrock -- Sailing, men's 5½ Meter Class

## Athletics

[edit]

Main article: Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men
Track & road events
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Quarterfinal  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|
|

Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank
Ted Allsopp | 20 km walk | —  | 1:35:43.0  | 10
50 km walk | —  | DSQ
James Bailey | 800 m | 1:51.1  | 1 Q | —  | 1:51.4  | 7  | Did not advance
Jim Bailey | 1500 m | DNS  | Did not advance
Ron Blackney | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:16.0  | 10  | —  | DNF
Bill Butchart | 800 m | 1:51.6  | 3 Q | —  | 1:53.8  | 4 Q | 1:52.0  | 8
Gavin Carragher | 100 m | 11.36  | 4  | Did not advance
John Chittick | 110 m hurdles | 15.18  | 5  | Did not advance
Ronald Crawford | 20 km walk | —  | 1:39:35.0  | 13
50 km walk | —  | 5:22:36.0  | 13
Kenneth Doubleday | 110 m hurdles | 14.98  | 5  | Did not advance
Graham Gipson | 200 m | 22.06  | 3  | Did not advance
400 m | 47.87  | 2 Q | 47.45  | 4  | Did not advance
Geoff Goodacre | 400 m hurdles | 52.5  | 3  | Did not advance
John Goodman | 400 m | 48.73  | 4  | Did not advance
Kevan Gosper | 400 m | 48.07  | 1 Q | 46.83  | 1 Q | 46.45  | 4  | Did not advance
Hec Hogan | 100 m | 10.72  | 1 Q | 10.78  | 1 Q | 10.62  | 3 Q | 10.77  |
200 m | 21.97  | 2 Q | 21.90  | 4  | Did not advance
Bob Joyce | 110 m hurdles | 15.02  | 6  | Did not advance
Don Keane | 20 km walk | Did not advance  | 1:33:52.0  | 6
Ray Land | 100 m | 11.05  | 2 Q | 11.15  | 6  | Did not advance
John Landy | 1500 m | 3:48.6  | 3 Q | —  | 3:42.0  |
5000 metres | DNS  | Did not advance
Allan Lawrence | 5000 metres | 14:14.67  | 1 Q | —  | DNS
10000 metres | —  | 28:53.6  |
David Lean | 400 m hurdles | 51.4  | 2 Q | —  | 51.4  | 2 Q | 51.8  | 5
Mervyn Lincoln | 1500 m | 3:45.4  | 1 Q | —  | 3:51.9  | 12
Donald MacMillan | 800 m | 1:53.4  | 4  | Did not advance
Keith Ollerenshaw | Marathon | —  | 2:48:12  | 25
Ross Parker | 400 m hurdles | 53.5  | 1 Q | —  | 52.6  | 6  | Did not advance
Les Perry | Marathon | —  | DNF
David Power | 10000 metres | —  | 29:49.6  | 7
Neil Robbins | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:55.62  | 5 Q | —  | 8:50.36  | 7
John Russell | Marathon | —  | 2:41:44  | 18
Ray Smith | 50 km walk | —  | 4:56:08.0  | 6
Dave Stephens | 10000 metres | —  | NT  | 20
Albie Thomas | 5000 metres | 14:14.41  | 1 Q | —  | 14:05.03  | 5
Graham Thomas | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:09.80  | 10  | —  | DNF
Douglas Winston | 200 m | 22.20  | 3  | Did not advance
Gavin Carragher
Edward McGlynn
Ray Land
Hector Hogan | 4×100 m relay | 40.72  | 1 Q | —  | 40.72  | 4  | Did not advance
Leon Gregory
Graham Gipson
Kevan Gosper
David Lean
John Goodman | 4×400 m relay | 3:10.57  | 2 Q | —  | 3:06.19  |

Field events
Athlete  | Event  | Qualification  | Final

|
|
|

Distance  | Position  | Distance  | Position
James Achurch | Javelin throw | 57.09  | 21  | Did not advance
Vesmonis Balodis | Discus throw | 44.24  | 20  | Did not advance
Ian Bruce | Long jump | 6.91  | 23  | Did not advance
Martin Crowe | Hammer throw | 48.43  | 21  | Did not advance
Peter Denton | Pole vault | 3.85  | 18  | Did not advance
Barry Donath | Shot put | 16.57  | 4 Q | 16.52  | 9
Neville Gadsen | Hammer throw | 48.84  | 20  | Did not advance
Bob Grant | Javelin throw | 65.76  | 16  | Did not advance
Ronald Gray | Triple jump | 14.46  | 25  | Did not advance
Robert Hanlin | Shot put | 15.62  | 11 Q | 16.08  | 11
Hugh Jack | Long jump | 6.90  | 24  | Did not advance
Charlie Morris | Hammer throw | 49.35  | 19  | Did not advance
Mike Moroney | Long jump | 7.09  | 19  | Did not advance
Brian Oliver | Triple jump | 14.74  | 23  | Did not advance
Bruce Peever | Pole vault | 3.85  | 17  | Did not advance
Chilla Porter | High jump | 1.92  | 4 Q | 2.10  |
Maurice Rich | Triple jump | 14.26  | 27  | Did not advance
Colin Ridgway | High jump | 1.92  | 16 Q | 2.00  | 7
John Vernon | 1.82  | 24  | Did not advance

Combined events – Decathlon
Athlete  | Event  | 100 m  |  LJ  |  SP  |  HJ  | 400 m  |  100H  |  DT  |  PV  |  JT  | 1500 m  | Final  | Rank

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Ian Bruce | Result  | 11.7  | 6.62  | 12.30  | 1.83  | 51.3  | 15.9  | 36.62  | 3.40  | 51.38  | 4:50.4  | 6025  | 11
Points  | 678  | 672  | 609  | 806  | 751  | 612  | 536  | 476  | 554  | 331
John Cann | Result  | 10.9  | 6.57  | 12.18  | 1.70  | 49.3  | 15.6  | 38.76  | 2.70  | 57.89  | 4:49.2  | 6278  | 10
Points  | 948  | 659  | 598  | 656  | 900  | 673  | 592  | 226  | 686  | 340
Pat Leane | Result  | 11.4  | 6.79  | 13.26  | 1.86  | 51.0  | 16.4  | 38.86  | 3.50  | 58.83  | 4:56.8  | 6427  | 9
Points  | 768  | 722  | 696  | 845  | 772  | 523  | 595  | 516  | 706  | 284

Women
Track & road events
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Quarterfinal  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|
|

Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank
Gloria Cooke | 80 m hurdles | 11.4  | 3 Q | —  | 11.1  | 3 Q | 11.4  | 6
Betty Cuthbert | 100 m | 11.4 OR | 1 Q | —  | 12.0  | 2 Q | 11.5  |
200 m | 23.5  | 1 Q | —  | 23.6  | 1 Q | 23.4  |
Norma Croker | 200 m | 24.9  | 2 Q | —  | 24.3  | 3 Q | 24.0  | 4
Marlene Mathews-Willard | 100 m | 11.5  | 1 Q | —  | 11.6  | 1 Q | 11.7  |
200 m | 24.0  | 1 Q | —  | 24.3  | 2 Q | 23.8  |
Shirley Strickland de la Hunty | 100 m | 11.7  | 3  | Did not advance
80 m hurdles | 10.8  | 1 Q | —  | 10.8  | 1 Q | 10.7  |
Norma Thrower | 80 m hurdles | 10.8 OR | 1 Q | —  | 11.0  | 2 Q | 11.0  |
Norma Croker
Betty Cuthbert
Fleur Mellor
Shirley Strickland de la Hunty | 4×100 m relay | 44.9 WR | 1 Q | —  | 44.5 WR |

Field events
Athlete  | Event  | Qualification  | Final

|
|
|

Distance  | Position  | Distance  | Position
Carole Bernoth | High jump | 1.58  | 14 Q | 1.60  | 14
Nancy Borwick | Long jump | 5.80  | 5 Q | 5.82  | 8
Mary Breen | Shot put | 11.28  | 18  | Did not advance
Janice Cooper | High jump | 1.58  | 18 Q | 1.55  | 15
Shirley Cotton | Discus throw | 40.76  | 17  | Did not advance
June Heath | Javelin throw | 38.10  | 19  | Did not advance
Heather Innes | 38.72  | 18  | Did not advance
Lois Jackman | Discus throw | 42,21  | 13 Q | 40.84  | 13
Margaret Johnson | Long jump | 5.59  | 16  | Did not advance
Valerie Dawn Lawrence | Shot put | 13.43  | 10 Q | 13.12  | 13
Discus throw | 36.61  | 21  | Did not advance
Michele Mason | High jump | 1.58  | 7 Q | 1.67  | 6
Erica Willis | Long jump | 5.64  | 14  | Did not advance
Margaret Woodlock | Shot put | 11.70  | 17  | Did not advance
Maureen Wright | Javelin throw | 38.81  | 17  | Did not advance

## Basketball

[edit]

Main article: Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men's Team Competition

### Preliminary round

[edit]

#### Group D

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Brazil | 2  | 2  | 0  | 167  | 125  | +42  | 4  | Quarterfinals
2  |  Chile | 2  | 1  | 1  | 137  | 134  | +3  | 3
3  |  Australia (H) | 2  | 0  | 2  | 122  | 167  | −45  | 2  | 9th–15th classification round

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
(H) Hosts

Brazil | 89-66 |  Australia

|
|

Scoring by half: 50–35, 39–31

Chile | 78-56 |  Australia

|
|

Scoring by half: 37–27, 41–29

### Classification 9–15

[edit]

#### Group 1

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Formosa | 3  | 3  | 0  | 218  | 189  | +29  | 6  | 9th–12th classification playoffs
2  |  Australia (H) | 3  | 2  | 1  | 258  | 208  | +50  | 5
3  |  Singapore | 3  | 1  | 2  | 200  | 215  | −15  | 4  | 13th–16th classification playoffs
4  |  Thailand | 3  | 0  | 3  | 150  | 214  | −64  | 3

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
(H) Hosts

Australia | 87-48 |  Thailand

|
|

Scoring by half: 48–23, 39–25

Australia | 73-86 |  Formosa

|
|

Scoring by half: 40–39, 33–47

Australia | 98-74 |  Singapore

|
|

Scoring by half: 48–36, 50–38

### Classification matches

[edit]

01.12

Canada | 83-38 | Australia

|
|

01.12

Formosa | 87-70 | Australia

|
|

Team Roster

*     * Peter Demos
* Geoff Heskett
* Peter Bumbers
* Stan Dargis
* Inga Freidenfelds
* Colin Burdett
* George Dancis
* Peter Sutton
* Algis Ignatavicius
* Merv Moy
* Ken Finch
* Bruce Flick
* Head coach: Ken Watson

## Boxing

[edit]

Main article: Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | 1 Round  | 2 Round  | Quarterfinals  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|
|
|

Opposition
Result  | Opposition
Result  | Opposition
Result  | Opposition
Result  | Opposition
Result  | Rank
Warner Batchelor | Flyweight | BYE  |  Henryk Kukier (POL)
W P  |  John Caldwell (IRL)
L P  | Did not advance  | 5
Robert Bath | Bantamweight |  Henry Jayasuriya (CEY)
W P  |  Song Soon-Chun (KOR)
L P  | Did not advance
Noel Hazard | Featherweight | BYE  |  Thomas Nicholls (GBR)
L P  | Did not advance
William Griffiths | Lightweight | BYE  |  Louis Molina (USA)
L P  | Did not advance
Max Carlos | Light Welterweight | BYE  |  Joseph Shaw (USA)
L P  | Did not advance
Kevin Hogarth | Welterweight |  Graham Finlay (NZL)
W P  | —  |  András Dori (HUN)
W P  |  Fred Tiedt (IRL)
L P  | —  |
Peter Read | Light Middleweight |  José Torres (USA)
L P  | Did not advance
Howard Richter | Middleweight |  Július Torma (TCH)
L P  | Did not advance
Anthony Madigan | Light Heavyweight | BYE  |  Romualdas Murauskas (URS)
L P  | Did not advance

## Canoeing

[edit]

Main article: Canoeing at the 1956 Summer Olympics

### Sprint

[edit]

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Heats  | Final

|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Bryan Harper | C-1 1000 m | —  | 5:37.6  | 7
C-1 10000 m | —  | 1:02:12.1  | 9
William Jones
Thomas Ohman | C-2 1000 m | 5:04.6  | 2 Q | 5:03.0  | 5
C-2 10000 m | —  | 56:18.6  | 7
Barry Stuart | K-1 1000 m | 4:30.1  | 3 Q | 4:30.7  | 9
Max Baldwin | K-1 10000 m | —  | 51:49.7  | 9
Walter Brown
Dennis Green | K-2 1000 m | 4:03.0  | 1 Q | 3:59.1  | 7
K-2 10000 m | —  | 43:43.2  |

Women
Athlete  | Event  | Heats  | Final

|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Edith Cochrane | K-1 500 m | 2:24.0  | 3 Q | 2:23.8  | 5

## Cycling

[edit]

Main article: Cycling at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Road
Athlete  | Event  | Time  | Rank

|
|
|

John O'Sullivan | Men's road race | 5:36:58  | 41
Jim Nevin | 5:47:02  | 44
Jim Nestor | DNF
Jack Trickey | DNF
John O'Sullivan
Jim Nevin
Jim Nestor
Jack Trickey | Team road race | DNF

### Track

[edit]

1000m time trial
Athlete  | Event  | Time  | Rank

|
|
|

Warren Scarfe | Men's 1000m time trial | 1:12.1  | 4

Sprint
Athlete  | Event  | Heats  | Repechage 1  | Repechage finals  | Quarterfinals  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Time
Speed (km/h)  | Rank  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Rank
Dick Ploog | Men's sprint |  Godefroid (BEL)
Văn Phước (VIE)
W 11.40 WR | BYE  |  Disney (USA)
W 12.4 11.6  |  Pesenti (ITA)
L 12.2  |  Johnston (NZL)
W 11.6 11.4  |

Tandem
Athlete  | Event  | Heats  | Repechage  | Quarterfinals  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|
|
|

Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Opposition
Time
Speed (km/h)  | Rank
Anthony Marchant
Joey Browne | Tandem |  Robinson
Shardelow (RSA)
Neuser
Ziegler (EUA)
L |  Fouček
Machek (TCH)
L |  Robinson
Shardelow (RSA)
W 10.8  |  Pinarello
Ogna (ITA)
W 10.8  |  Fouček
Machek (TCH)
W10.8  |

Pursuit
Athlete  | Event  | Qualification  | Quarterfinals  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|
|

Opposition
Time  | Opposition
Time  | Opposition
Time  | Opposition
Time  | Rank
Cliff Burvill
Frank Brazier
Roy Moore
Warren Scarfe | Men's team pursuit |  France (FRA)
L OT  | Did not advance  | 9

## Diving

[edit]

Main article: Diving at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Preliminaries  | Final

|
|
|

Points  | Rank  | Points  | Rank  | Total
Ronald Faulds | 3 m springboard | 68.84  | 20  | Did not advance
Barry Holmes | 10m platform | 58.01  | 22  | Did not advance
Joseph McCann | 3 m springboard | 69.18  | 19  | Did not advance
Francis Murphy | 10m platform | 66.29  | 17  | Did not advance
William Tully | 65.49  | 18  | Did not advance
Arthur Winther | 3 m springboard | 71.04  | 17  | Did not advance

Women
Athlete  | Event  | Preliminaries  | Final

|
|
|

Points  | Rank  | Points  | Rank  | Total
Rosalyn Barton | 3 m springboard | 58.50  | 15  | Did not advance
10m platform | 41.96  | 15  | Did not advance
Pat Howard | 3 m springboard | 53.89  | 17  | Did not advance
Barbara McAulay | 60.19  | 13  | Did not advance
10m platform | 45.67  | 14  | Did not advance
Adele Price | 35.28  | 18  | Did not advance

## Fencing

[edit]

Main article: Fencing at the 1956 Summer Olympics

21 fencers, 18 men and 3 women, represented Australia in 1956.

Men

Ranks given are within the pool.

Fencer  | Event  | Elimination round  | Quarterfinals  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|
|

Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank
Laurence Harding-Smith | Men's épée |  |  | did not advance  |
Ivan Lund |  |  | did not advance  |
Richard Stone |  |  | did not advance  |
Brian McCowage | Men's foil |  |  | did not advance  |
David McKenzie |  |  | did not advance  |
Michael Sichel |  |  | did not advance  |
Leslie Fadgyas | Men's sabre |  Darè (ITA)
Hoskyns (GBR)
Van Der Auwera (BEL)
Asselin (CAN)
del Carmen (COL) | 3 Q |  Pawłowski (POL)
Darè (ITA)
Worth (USA)
Kuznetsov (URS)
Cooperman (GBR)
Gamot (FRA) | 7  | did not advance  | 25
Graham McKenzie |  Ferrari (ITA)
Porebski (GBR)
Kwartler (USA)
Yanguas (COL) | 4 Q |  Kárpáti (HUN)
Roulot (FRA)
Zabłocki (POL)
Stratmann (GER)
Nyilas (USA)
Hoskyns (GBR) | 7  | did not advance  | 24
Sandor Szoke |  Narduzzi (ITA)
Goliardi (URU)
Worth (USA)
Ramos (MEX)
Sano (JPN) | 6  | did not advance  | 30
James Wolfensohn
Ivan Lund
Keith Hackshall
Hilbert Van Dijk | Team épée |  Great Britain (GBR)
L 3-9
Italy (ITA)
L 5-11
United States (USA)
L | 4  | did not advance  | 9
Ray Buckingham
Brian McCowage
Rod Steel
David McKenzie
Michael Sichel
Tom Cross | Team foil |  United States (USA)
L 3-13
Hungary (HUN)
L 8-8  | 3  | did not advance  | 8
Leslie Fadgyas
Alexander Martonffy
Emeric Santo
Leslie Kovacs
Sandor Szoke | Team sabre |  France (FRA)
L 1-9
Soviet Union (URS)
L 2-14  | 3  | did not advance  | 8

Women

Ranks given are within the pool.

Fencer  | Event  | Elimination round  | Semifinals  | Final

|
|
|
|

Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank
Joy Hardon | Women's foil |  Sheen (GBR)
Orban-Szabo (ROU)
Garilhe (FRA)
Lachmann (DEN)
Rastvorova (URS)
Goodrich (USA)
Nyári-Kovács (HUN) | 8  | did not advance  | 23
Lois Joseph |  York-Romary (USA)
Müller-Preis (AUT)
Colombetti-Peroncini (ITA)
Roldán (MEX)
Orb-Lazăr (ROU)
Shitikova (URS)
Veronnet (FRA) | 8  | did not advance  | 22
Denise O'Brien |  Mitchell (USA)
Yefimova (URS)
Sákovicsné Dömölky (HUN)
Delbarre (FRA)
Cesari (ITA)
Glen-Haig (GBR) | 7  | did not advance  | 19

## Football

[edit]

Main article: Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics

### First round

[edit]

27 November 1956
12:00

Australia | 2–0|  Japan

|
|

McMillan 26' (pen.)
Loughran 61' | Report |

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Attendance: 3,568

Referee: Reginald Lund (New Zealand)

### Quarter-finals

[edit]

1 December 1956
12:00

Australia | 2–4|  India

|
|

Morrow 17', 41' | Report | D'Souza 9', 33', 50'
Krishnaswamy 80'

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Attendance: 7,413

Referee: Chris Wensveen (Indonesia)

### Men's team squads

[edit]

Head coach: Richard Telfer

No.  | Pos.  | Player  | DoB  | Age  | Caps  | Club  | Tournament
games | Tournament
goals | Minutes
played | Sub off | Sub on | Cards
yellow/red

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1 | GK | Billy Henderson | November 23, 1929 | 26 | 5 |  Granville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
2 | GK | Ron Lord | August 25, 1929 | 27 | 1 |  Auburn | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
3 | FW | Col Kitching | November 11, 1933 | 22 | 2 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
4 | MF | Pete Stone |  |  | 0 |  Bankstown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
5 | MF | Ted Smith | September 24, 1935 | 21 | 0 |  | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
6 |  | George Arthur | 1925 | 31 | 0 |  Wallsend FC | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
7 |  | Bill Harburn |  |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
8 |  | Alwyn Warren | November 1, 1931 | 25 | 1 |  | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
9 |  | Alastair Rattray | February 16, 1925 | 31 | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
10 |  | Alec Beattie |  |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
11 | DF | Bob Bignall | March 14, 1922 | 34 | 5 |  Corrimal | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
12 | DF | John Pettigrew | October 31, 1934 | 21 | 1 |  | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
13 | MF | Francis Loughran | January 31, 1931 | 25 | 3 |  Moreland F.C. | 2 | 1 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
14 |  | Bob Wemyss | July 1, 1928 | 28 | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
15 | MF | Jack Lennard | April 2, 1930 | 26 | 3 |  Cessnock | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
16 | MF | Brian Vogler | May 30, 1932 | 24 | 0 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
17 | FW | Bruce Morrow | May 5, 1936 | 20 | 0 |  Wallsend FC | 2 | 2 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
18 |  | Con Purser | August 2, 1931 | 25 | 1 |  North Perth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0
19 | FW | Graham McMillan | January 21, 1936 | 20 | 0 |  | 2 | 1 | 180 | 0 | 0 |
20 |  | Cliff Sander | November 11, 1931 | 25 | 6 |  | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 |

## Gymnastics

[edit]

Main article: Gymnastics at the 1956 Summer Olympics

## Hockey

[edit]

Main article: Field hockey at the 1956 Summer Olympics

### Preliminary round

[edit]

#### Pool B

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Great Britain | 4  | 2  | 2  | 0  | 6  | 4  | +2  | 6  | Advanced to Semi-finals
2  |  Australia (H) | 4  | 2  | 0  | 2  | 6  | 5  | +1  | 4  |
3  |  Malaya | 3  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 5  | 6  | −1  | 2
4  |  Kenya | 3  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 2  | 4  | −2  | 2

Source: LA84 Foundation
Rules for classification: 1) points.
(H) Hosts

| 23 November 1956
14:30

Australia | 2–0  |  Kenya

|
|

Dick 5'
E. Pearce 64' | Report |
Umpires:
Ernst-Ludwig Nack (GER)
K. Hamilton (NZL)

* * *

| 26 November 1956
16:00

Malaya | 2–3  |  Australia

|
|

Aman 32', 63' | Report | Spackman 12'
E. Pearce 18', 51'
Umpires:
Birendra Ghosh (IND)
Gian Singh (IND)

* * *

| 29 November 1956
16:00

Australia | 1–2  |  Great Britain

|
|

E. Pearce 60' | Report | Forster 18', 50'
Umpires:
Gian Singh (IND)
Birendra Ghosh (IND)

##### Play–off match

[edit]

* At the conclusion of the pool stage, Australia and Great Britain finished equal on points, resulting in a play–off match to determine number one position in the pool.

| 1 December 1956
14:00

Australia | 0–1  |  Great Britain

|
|

| Report | Conroy 55'
Umpires:
Gian Singh (IND)
Birendra Ghosh (IND)

### Men's Team Competition

[edit]

* Team Roster
* Alan Barblett
* Geoffrey Bennett
* Brian Booth
* Kevin Carton
* Kenneth Clarke
* Ian Dick
* John Dwyer
* Maurice Foley
* Louis Hailey
* Glen Jobson
* Dennis Kemp
* Keith Leeson
* Donald Mecklem
* Eric Pearce
* Gordon Pearce
* Melville Pearce
* Kenneth Reid
* Raymond Whiteside

## Modern pentathlon

[edit]

Main article: Modern pentathlon at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Three male pentathletes represented Australia in 1956.

Individual

* Neville Sayers
* Sven Coomer
* George Nicoll

Team

* Neville Sayers
* Sven Coomer
* George Nicoll

## Rowing

[edit]

Main article: Rowing at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Australia had 26 male rowers participate in all seven rowing events in 1956.[2]

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Heats  | Repechage  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Stuart Mackenzie | Single sculls | 7:28.8  | 2 Q | BYE  | 9:19.5  | 2 Q | 8:07.7  |
Murray Riley
Mervyn Wood | Double sculls | 7:01.2  | 3 R | 8:12.2  | 1 Q | BYE  | 7:37.4  |
Peter Raper
Maurice Grace | Coxless pair | 7:37.2  | 2 Q | BYE  | 8:48.2  | 2 Q | 8:22.2  | 4
Robert Duncan
Bruce Dickson
John Cockbill | Coxed pair | 8:15.9  | 2 Q | BYE  | 9:37.7  | 3  | Did not advance
John Harrison
Peter Evatt
Geoff Williamson
Dave Anderson | Coxless four | 6:52.7  | 3 R | 8:10.4  | 1 Q | 8:22.4  | 4  | Did not advance
Gordon Cowey
Kevin McMahon
Reg Libbis
Mick Allen
John Jenkinson | Coxed four | 7:01.9  | 2 Q | BYE  | 7:59.8  | 2 Q | 7:31.1  | 4
Michael Aikman
David Boykett
Angus Benfield
Jim Howden
Garth Manton
Walter Howell
Adrian Monger
Bryan Doyle
Harold Hewitt | Eight | 6:05.8  | 1 Q | BYE  | 6:55.6  | 2 Q | 6:39,2  |

## Sailing

[edit]

Main article: Sailing at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Open
Athlete  | Event  | Race  | Net points  | Final rank

|
|
|
|

1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7
Colin Ryrie | Finn | 4  | 13  | 11  | ~~DNF~~ | 7  | 14  | 5  | 2965  | 10
Rolly Tasker
John Scott | 12m² Sharpie | 1  | 2  | 2  | 1  | 2  | 2  | ~~DSQ~~ | 6086  |
Robert French
Jack Downey | Star | 8  | 9  | ~~12~~ | 6  | 11  | 9  | 11  | 1409  | 9
Graham Horace Drane
Brian Carolan
Jim Carolan | Dragon | 2  | 10  | ~~14~~ | 4  | 4  | 4  | 9  | 3769  | 5
Jock Sturrock
Devereaux Mytton
Douglas Buxton | 5.5 Metre | 4  | 4  | 2  | 4  | 1  | 3  | ~~4~~ | 4022  |

## Shooting

[edit]

Main article: Shooting at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Twelve shooters represented Australia in 1956.

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Final

|
|

Score  | Rank
Colin Anderson | 100m running deer | 357  | 10
John Bryant | Trap | 176  | 9
Norman Goff | 300 m rifle | 1010  | 17
Noel Hall | 100m running deer | 339  | 11
Rodney Johnson | 50 m pistol | 506  | 27
Johnnie Maitland | 25 m pistol | 526  | 28
Clement Mudford | Trap | 164  | 20
Peter Papps | 25 m pistol | 469  | 35
Norman Rule | 50 m rifle, three positions | 1114  | 34
50 m rifle, prone | 594  | 22
Don Tolhurst | 50 m rifle, three positions | 1131  | 27
50 m rifle, prone | 596  | 10
Len Tolhurst | 50 m pistol | 541  | 8
Ian Wrigley | 300 m rifle | 1021  | 16

## Swimming

[edit]

Main article: Swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Gary Chapman | 100 metre freestyle | 57.8  | 1 Q | 56.9  | 2 Q | 56.7  |
John Devitt | 57.2  | 1 Q | 56.4  | 2 Q | 55.8  |
Murray Garretty | 1500 metre freestyle | 18:27.4  | 1 Q | —  | 18:26.5  | 4
Terry Gathercole | 200 metre breaststroke | 2:40.2  | 2 Q | —  | 2:38.7  | 4
Kevin O'Halloran | 400 metre freestyle | 4:36.9  | 1 Q | —  | 4:32.9  | 4
John Hayres | 100 metre backstroke | 1:04.4  | 2 Q | 1:05.0  | 2 Q | 1:05.0  | 5
Jon Henricks | 100 metre freestyle | 57.3  | 1 Q | 55.7  | 1 Q | 55.4 WR |
John Marshall | 200 metre butterfly | 2:26.8  | 2 Q | —  | 2:27.2  | 5
John Monckton | 100 metre backstroke | 1:03.4  | 1 Q | 1:04.1  | 1 Q | 1:03.2  |
Murray Rose | 400 metre freestyle | 4:31.7  | 1 Q | —  | 4:27.3 WR |
1500 metre freestyle | 18:04.1  | 1 Q | —  | 17:58.9  |
David Theile | 100 metre backstroke | 1:04.3  | 1 Q | 1:04.8  | 2 Q | 1:02.2 WR |
Gary Winram | 400 metre freestyle | 4:34.5  | 1 Q | —  | 4:34.9  | 6
1500 metre freestyle | 18:35.7  | 1 Q | —  | 19:06.2  | 8
Brian Wilkinson | 200 metre butterfly | 2:27.2  | 2 Q | —  | 2:29.7  | 7
Kevin O'Halloran
John Devitt
Murray Rose
Jon Henricks
Gary Chapman
Murray Garretty
Graham Hamilton | 4x100 m freestyle relay | 8:40.2  | 3 Q | —  | 8:23.6 WR |

Women
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Beverley Bainbridge | 100 metre butterfly | 1:14.4  | 1 Q | —  | 1:15.2  | 5
Gergaynia Beckett | 100 metre backstroke | 1:14.8  | 2 Q | —  | 1:14.7  | 8
Lorraine Crapp | 100 metre freestyle | 1:03.4  | 2 Q OR | 1:03.1  | 2 Q | 1:02.4  |
400 metre freestyle | 5:00.2  | 1 Q | —  | 4:54.6 CR |
Barbara Evans | 200 metre breaststroke | 3:03.6  | 12  | Did not advance
Dawn Fraser | 100 metre freestyle | 1:02.4  | 1 Q OR | 1:03.0  | 1 Q | 1:02.0 WR |
400 metre freestyle | 5:02.5  | 1 Q | —  | 5:02.5  |
Maureen Giles | 100 metre butterfly | 1:19.4  | 5  | Did not advance
Patricia Huntingford | 100 metre backstroke | 1:16.0  | 5  | Did not advance
Faith Leech | 100 metre freestyle | 1:04.9  | 3 Q | 1:05.2  | 3 Q | 1:05.1  |
Sandra Morgan | 400 metre freestyle | 5:07.8  | 2 Q | —  | 5:14.3  | 6
Pam Singleton | 100 metre backstroke | 1:17.0  | 6  | Did not advance
Dawn Fraser
Faith Leech
Sandra Morgan
Lorraine Crapp
Margaret Gibson
Elizabeth Fraser | 4x100 m freestyle relay | 4:25.0  | 1 Q | —  | 4:17.1 WR |

## Water polo

[edit]

Main article: Water polo at the 1956 Summer Olympics

### Preliminary round

[edit]

The preliminary round consisted of a round-robin tournament held in three groups. Each team played the other teams in its group once.

#### Group A

[edit]

Nation | Pld. | Win | Loss | Tie | GF | GA | Points

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Yugoslavia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 6
Soviet Union | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 4
Romania | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 2
Australia | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 0

28 November

* 14:00 - Romania def. Australia, 4-2

29 November

* 22:15 - Yugoslavia def. Australia, 9-1

30 November

* 16:00 - Soviet Union def. Australia, 3-0

### Consolation

[edit]

Rank | Nation | Pld. | Win | Loss | Tie | GF | GA | Points

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

7 |  Great Britain | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 6
8 |  Romania | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 4
9 |  Australia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 2
10 |  Singapore | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 29 | 0

* Great Britain def. Australia, 5-2
* Australia def. Singapore, 3-2
* Romania def. Australia, 4-2

## Weightlifting

[edit]

Main article: Weightlifting at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Military Press  | Snatch  | Clean & jerk  | Total  | Rank

|
|
|
|
|
|

Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank  | Result  | Rank
Charles Henderson | 56 kg | 72.5  | 15  | 85  | 9  | 115  | 10  | 272.5  | 13
Keith Caple | 60 kg | 87.5  | 19  | 90  | 17  | 110  | 17  | 287.5  | 16
Vern Barberis | 67.5 kg | 105  | 13  | 105  | 10  | 137.5  | 9  | 347.5  | 11
Fred Baugh | 75 kg | 107.5  | 11  | 95  | 15  | 122.5  | 13  | 325  | 13
John Powell | 82.5 kg | 120  | 8  | 117.5  | 7  | 145  | 8  | 382.5  | 8
Leonard Treganowan | 90 kg | 122.5  | 8  | 117.5  | 8  | 150  | 9  | 390  | 8

## Wrestling

[edit]

Main article: Wrestling at the 1956 Summer Olympics

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Australia at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Australia Rowing at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2018.

* v
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Australia at the Olympics

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|

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Intercalated Games|

1906

Australia and New Zealand participated together as Australasia during the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics. Australia hosted the 1956 and 2000 Summer Olympics

* v
* t
* e

Nations at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden

Africa|

* (Egypt)*
* Ethiopia
* Kenya
* Liberia
* Nigeria
* South Africa
* Uganda

America|

* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Bermuda
* Brazil
* British Guiana
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Peru
* Puerto Rico
* Trinidad
* United States
* Uruguay
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Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Burma
* (Cambodia)*
* Ceylon
* Republic of China
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Israel
* Japan
* South Korea
* Malaya
* North Borneo
* Pakistan
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* Thailand
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Europe|

* Austria
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* (Netherlands)*
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* (Spain)*
* Sweden
* (Switzerland)*
* Turkey
* Yugoslavia

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand

Nations in bullet brackets indicating competed at the Equestrian events (Stockholm only)
*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[L]: Lost
*[PF]: Points for
*[PA]: Points against
*[PD]: Point difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[D]: Drawn
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[5']: Goal
*[64']: Goal
*[32']: Goal
*[63']: Goal
*[12']: Goal
*[18']: Goal
*[51']: Goal
*[60']: Goal
*[50']: Goal
*[55']: Goal
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