The Union of South Africa competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. 64 competitors, 60 men and 4 women, took part in 59 events in 13 sports.
Medalists
Gold Esther Brand — Athletics, Women's High Jump Joan Harrison — Swimming, Women's 100m Backstroke
Silver Daphne Hasenjager — Athletics, Women's 100 metres Theunis van Schalkwyk — Boxing, Men's Light Middleweight George Estman, Robert Fowler, Thomas Shardelow, and Alfred Swift — Cycling, Men's 4.000m Team Pursuit Raymond Robinson and Thomas Shardelow — Cycling, Men's 2.000m Tandem
Bronze Willie Toweel — Boxing, Men's Flyweight Leonard Leisching — Boxing, Men's Featherweight Andries Nieman — Boxing, Men's Heavyweight Raymond Robinson — Cycling, Men's 1.000m Time Trial
Athletics
South Africa was represented in athletics by 10 men and 4 women.
Men: 100 metres - Neville Price (did not compete) 200 metres - Schalk Booysen (4th place in Heat 3); Neville Price (did not compete) 400 metres - Louis van Biljon (4th place in Quarterfinal 3); Schalk Booysen (4th place in Heat 12); John Anderton (5th place in Heat 2) 1500 metres - Athol Jennings (6th place in Heat 3) 10,000 metres - Bill Keith (28th place); Syd Luyt (did not compete) Marathon - Wally Hayward (10th place); Syd Luyt (11th place); Bill Keith (19th place) 400 metres hurdles - Ron Wilke (5th place in Quarterfinal 3) 4 × 400 metres relay - 4th place in Heat 3 Louis van Biljon, Ron Wilke, John Anderton, Bill Chivell; Schalk Booysen (DNS) Long jump - Neville Price (11th place) Triple jump - Neville Price (did not compete)
Women: 100 metres - Daphne Hasenjäger (2nd place) Silver Medal Edna Maskell (5th place in Quarterfinal 4) 200 metres - Daphne Hasenjäger (6th place) 80 metres hurdles - Edna Maskell (5th place in Semifinal 1) High jump - Esther Brand (1st place) Gold Medal Shot put - Esther Brand (did not compete) Discus throw - Esther Brand (20th place in qualifying round)
Boxing
South Africa was represented in boxing by 8 men.
Flyweight - Willie Toweel (=3rd place) Bronze Medal Bantamweight - Lennie von Graevenitz (=5th place) Featherweight - Len Leisching (=3rd place) Bronze Medal Lightweight - Johnny van Rensburg (=17th place) Light welterweight - Grant Webster (=5th place) Welterweight - Hendrik van der Linde (=9th place) Light middleweight - Theunis van Schalkwyk (2nd place) Silver Medal Heavyweight - Dries Niemann (=3rd place) Bronze Medal
Cycling
South Africa was represented in cycling by 5 men.
Road Competition Men's Individual Road Race (190.4 km) George Estman — did not finish (→ no ranking) Alfred Swift — did not finish (→ no ranking) Robert Fowler — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Track Competition Men's 1.000m Time Trial Raymond Robinson Final — 1:13.0 (→ Bronze Medal)
Men's 1.000m Sprint Scratch Race Raymond Robinson — 5th place
Men's 4.000m Team Pursuit Alfred Swift, George Estman, Robert Fowler, and Thomas Shardelow Final — Lost to Italy (→ Silver Medal)
Diving
One male diver represented South Africa in 1952.
Men AthleteEventPreliminaryFinalPointsRankPointsRankWillem Welgemoed3 m springboard61.6422 Did not advance
Gymnastics
South Africa was represented in gymnastics by three men in 7 out of 8 events, not having enough competitors to take part in the team all-around.
Individual all-around - Ronnie Lombard (139th place); Jack Wells (169th place); Rolf Yelseth (171st place) Floor exercise - Ronnie Lombard (=164th place); Jack Wells (=166th place); Rolf Yelseth (177th place) Horizontal bar - Ronnie Lombard (=98th place); Rolf Yelseth (141st place); Jack Wells (166th place) Parallel bars - Rolf Yelseth (161st place); Ronnie Lombard (163rd place); Jack Wells (=173rd place) Pommel horse - Ronnie Lombard (=129th place); Rolf Yelseth (=162nd place) Rings - Rolf Yelseth (=127th place); Jack Wells (147th place); Ronnie Lombard (=163rd place) Vault - Jack Wells (=79th place); Ronnie Lombard (=98th place); Rolf Yelseth (174th place)
Modern pentathlon
One male pentathlete represented South Africa in 1952.
Harry Schmidt
Rowing
South Africa had five male rowers participating in two out of seven rowing events in 1952.
Men's single sculls Ian Stephen
Men's coxless four Don Dyke-Wells Damian Nichol John Webb Christopher Veitch
Sailing
South Africa entered two of the five sailing classes with four men.
One Person Dinghy - Hellmut Stauch (16th place) 5.5 metres (Shoveller) (7th place) Eric Beningfield, Joe Ellis-Brown, Noel Horsfield
Shooting
One male shooter represented South Africa in 1952.
50 m rifle, prone William Murless
Swimming
South Africa was represented in 8 of the 11 swimming events by five men and one woman.Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XV Olympiad, Helsinki, 1952, pp. 558–605 (online version at LA1984.org)
Men Ranks given are within the heat. AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankJohn Durr100 m freestyle 1:00.0 4 Q 1:00.2 6 Did not advanceDennis Ford 1:01.3 4 Did not advancePeter Duncan400 m freestyle 4:44.0 2 Q 4:41.7 2 Q 4:37.9 4Dennis Ford 4:50.2 2 Q 4:53.6 5 Did not advanceGraham Johnston 4:52.3 2 Q 4:45.5 5 Did not advancePeter Duncan1500 m freestyle 19:03.5 1 Q colspan=2 19:12.1 7Dennis Ford 19:27.6 3 colspan=2 Did not advanceGraham Johnston 19:27.1 5 colspan=2 Did not advanceLin Meiring100 m backstroke 1:08.5 2 Q 1:07.6 3 Q 1:08.3 8Graham JohnstonDennis FordJohn DurrPeter Duncan4 × 200 m freestyle relay 8:58.7 3 Q colspan=2 8:55.1 7
Women Ranks given are within the heat. AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankJoan Harrison100 m freestyle 1:06.5 1 Q 1:07.2 1 Q 1:07.1 4400 m freestyle 5:21.8 3 Q 5:23.1 5 Did not advance100 m backstroke 1:14.7 1 Q colspan=2 1:14.3
Water polo
The South African men's water polo team finished in 9th place.
William Aucamp, Ron Meredith, Gerald Goddard, Douglas Melville, Johnnie van Gent, Des Cohen, Solly Yach, Dennis Pappas; Frank Butler, Luis González (did not compete)
Weightlifting
South Africa was represented in weightlifting by four men.
Featherweight - James van Rensburg (18th place) Lightweight - Barrie Engelbrecht (13th place) Light-heavyweight - Issy Bloomberg (6th place) Middle-heavyweight - Theunis Jonck (8th place)
Wrestling
South Africa was represented by 5 male wrestlers.
Men's freestyle
Flyweight - Louis Baise (6th place) Lightweight - Blondie Pienaar (place not known) Welterweight - Cyril Martin (place not known) Middleweight - Calie Reitz (=6th place) Light-Heavyweight - Jan Theron (6th place)
References
External links Official Olympic Reports International Olympic Committee results database