Joan Harrison (swimmer)
Harrison in 1950 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Joan Cynthia Harrison | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 November 1935 East London, Cape Province, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 20 May 2025 (aged 89) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle, backstroke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Joan Cynthia Harrison (later Breetzke, 29 November 1935 – 20 May 2025) was a South African swimmer who won the 100 metres backstroke event at the 1952 Olympics. Harrison was born in 1935 in East London, South Africa. After setting multiple national records and winning multiple national titles at 13 years old, the year later, she won the 440-yard freestyle event at the 1950 British Empire Games. She then won gold in the 100 metres backstroke event at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, making her the first South African swimmer to win Olympic gold. Harrison then won multiple medals, including two golds, at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. She retired from international competitive swimming in 1956 at 17 years old.
Career
Joan Cynthia Harrison was born on 29 November 1935 in East London, Cape Province, South Africa.[1][2] Her mother was a swimmer and her father played rugby.[3]
At 13 years old, Harrison won the 220-yard and 500-yard freestyle events at the South African national swimming championships. She also held two South African records and three South African junior records in the sport.[1][3] At the 1950 British Empire Games she won the 440-yard freestyle event, finishing seven seconds ahead of second place with a new competition record which broke the old record by thirteen seconds. The also won bronze in the 110-yard freestyle event at that competition.[1]
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| Harrison wins the 100 metres backstroke at the 1952 Olympics |
In 1952, she won gold in the 100 metres backstroke event at the Helsinki Olympics.[1][4] This win made her the first South African swimmer to win Olympic gold. The next South African woman to win an Olympic medal was Penny Heyns in 1996.[4] Upon arriving home from these Games, Harrison was greeted by thousands of people in the city hall.[5] She later said: "People made a fuss about it. But my life did not really change. I was still an ordinary girl from East London. When we arrived back in the city there were thousands of people waiting for me at the city hall."[1]
At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Harrison won gold in the 110 yards backstroke, gold as part of the South African team in the 4×110 yards freestyle relay, silver as part of the South African team in the 3×110 yards medley relay, and bronze in the 110 yards freestyle.[4] She retired from international competitive swimming in 1956 at 17 years old, though she later competed at the 1956 South African national championships, where she won two events.[6]
Personal life
Harrison attended Clarendon High School for Girls.[7] She married in 1956 to Charles Breetzke, changing her name to Joan Breetzke,[4] and had four children.[7]
In December 2022, Harrison's Olympic and Commonwealth medals were stolen from her house. In January, they were returned, having been found lying in some grass in the city.[8][9]
Death and legacy
In 1982, Harrison was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[1][3] In 2023, an aquatics centre in Clarendon was built, named the "Harrison Aquatic Centre" in her honour.[5]
Harrison died on 20 May 2025, at the age of 89.[4][10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Griffin, Sean (24 May 2025). "Joan Harrison, South Africa's First Olympic Swimming Champion, Dies At 89". SwimSwam. Archived from the original on 27 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "Joan Cynthia HARRISON". olympics.com. International Olympic Committee (IOC). Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Harrison, Joan (1982). "Joan Harrison". International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF). Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e De George, Matthew (26 May 2025). "Passages: Joan Harrison, South African Olympic Gold Medalist, 89". Swimming World. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ a b Fray, Tammy (16 November 2023). "Clarendon aquatic centre honours icon". GO! & Express. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ Griffin, Sean (24 May 2025). "Joan Harrison, South Africa's First Olympic Swimming Champion, Dies At 89". SwimSwam. Archived from the original on 27 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ a b Beningfield, Charles (29 May 2025). "Remembering East London's sporting icon, Joan Harrison". GO! & Express. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ Barker, Philip (4 January 2023). "Olympic swimming gold won by Harrison-Breetzke recovered after it was believed stolen". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ De George, Matthew (4 January 2023). "South African Olympian Joan Harrison Recovers Stolen Medal". Swimming World. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ Keller-Marvin, Meg (20 May 2025). "Swimming History of South Africa announces the passing of 1982 ISHOF Honor Swimmer Joan Harrison (RSA)". International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF). Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
External links
- Joan Harrison at World Aquatics
- Joan Harrison at SwimRankings.net
- Joan Harrison at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Joan Harrison at Olympics.com
- Joan Harrison at Olympedia