Joan Harrison

Joan Harrison had a brief and remarkable sporting career that saw her become the first South African swimmer to win gold at the Olympics. Harrison was only 13-years-old when she became the national champion in both the 220 yards and 500 yards freestyle events. One year later she swam at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland where she won gold in the 440 yards freestyle. She was seven seconds ahead of the next swimmer, and her winning time broke the existing Games record by 13 seconds. Harrison also won bronze in the 110 yards freestyle.

Two years later Harrison was selected as part of South Africa’s delegation for the 1952 Helsinki Games. In the 100 metres backstroke she was the joint-favourite to win the event along with the Dutch teenager Geertje Wielema. Wielema and Harrison, swimming in lanes four and five respectively, were level as they approached the wall but Harrison’s finish was better and the decision of the judges was to award the gold to the South African. She became the first swimmer for South Africa to win gold at the Olympics. A few days earlier, Harrison had just missed out on a medal in the 100 metres freestyle, finishing fourth in the final in another very tight race. She also came ninth in the 100 metres backstroke at the Helsinki Games.

In 1954 Harrison returned to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, this time in Vancouver, Canada. She won four medals, including two golds; one in the 110 yards backstroke and the other as part of the relay quartet in the 4 x 110 yards freestyle. Harrison also won silver in the 3 x 110 yards medley relay and bronze in the 110 yards freestyle. Despite her success, she retired from international competition two years later whilst she was still only 17-years-old.

Harrison was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1982. In late 2022 her medals from the Olympic and Commonwealth Games were stolen from her home, but were returned shortly after being found in some grass nearby. Later in 2023 the Harrison Aquatic Centre was built in her honour in Clarendon, East London.