Blanche Nash
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Blanche Emily Maynard•Nash (-Thomas) |
| Used name | Blanche•Nash |
| Nick/petnames | Baba |
| Born | 30 July 1902 in Cape Town, Western Cape (RSA) |
| Died | 19 June 1964 in Observatory, Cape Town, Western Cape (RSA) |
| NOC |  South Africa |
Biography
Blanche Nash was born in Cape Town, one of four children born to Englishman Maynard Nash, a chartered accountant, and his wife Henrietta Wrensch. In 1920, Nash, the Western Province 100 yards ladies’ champion and South African record holder in the 50 yards, became the first woman to compete at the Olympics for South Africa. There, she competed in the 100 and 300 metre events, but did not advance past the heats. Later, she defended her 100 yards title in 1921. She married Harold William Chester Thomas in 1940, and died in 1964 of Huntington’s disease.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | RSA |
Blanche Nash | |||
| 100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 5 h3 r1/2 | |||||
| 300 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 6 h3 r1/2 |
Special Notes
- Listed in First Female Competitors at the Olympics by Country (First woman to compete for South Africa)
Errata
Name previously listed as "Barbara Nash", but this is incorrect as per further research.