Edna Child suffered from a debilitating illness as a child and took up gymnastics and swimming at the age of 12 in order to regain her strength. It was in diving, however, that she eventually excelled and in 1938, at the age of 15, she won a bronze medal in the 3 metre springboard event at the European Championships. Her career was interrupted by World War II, but she returned to represent Great Britain at the 1948 London Olympics, where she came in sixth in the springboard competition. She was much more successful at the 1950 British Empire Games, however, when, competing for England, she took gold in both women’s diving events. She retired from active competition following this tournament and married Ken Tinegate, a rower who took bronze in the double sculls at the 1950 British Empire Games.
Great Britain