New Zealand at the 1956 Summer Olympics

New Zealand at the 1956 Summer Olympics was represented by a team of 53 competitors and 12 officials. Selection of the team for the Games in Melbourne, Australia, was the responsibility of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association. New Zealand's flagbearer at the opening ceremony was Ritchie Johnston. The New Zealand team finished 16th on the medal table, winning a total of two medals, both of which were gold.

Medal tables

MedalNameSportEventDate Norman Read Athletics Men's 50 km walk 24 November Jack CroppPeter Mander Sailing 12 m² Sharpie 29 November

Medals by sportSportTotal Athletics 1001 Sailing 1001 Total2002

Medals by genderGenderTotal Male 2 0 02 Female 0 0 00 Total2002

Athletics

Track and road

AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankMurray HalbergMen's 1500 m 3:57.2 4 Q colspan=4 3:45.2 11Maurice RaeMen's 100 m 10.7 1 Q 10.6 3 Q 10.5 4 did not advanceMen's 200 m 21.4 2 Q 22.0 2 Q 21.5 6 did not advanceNorman ReadMen's 50 km walk colspan=6 4:30:42.8 Albert RichardsMen's marathon colspan=6 2:41:34 17Neville ScottMen's 1500 m 3:48.0 1 Q colspan=4 3:42.8 7Margaret StuartWomen's 80 m hurdles 11.3 3 Q colspan=2 11.3 6 did not advanceWomen's 100 m 12.3 3 colspan=2 did not advance

Field AthleteEventQualificationFinalResult RankResult RankMary DonaghyWomen's high jump 1.58 =7 Q 1.67 7Valerie SloperWomen's shot put 13.03 14 Q 15.34 5Beverly WeigelWomen's long jump 5.79 7 Q 5.85 7

Boxing

AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalRankOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultPaddy DonovanMen's lightweightL did not advance=17Graham FinlayMen's welterweightL did not advance=9

Cycling

Track Men's 1000 m time trial AthleteTimeRankWarwick Dalton 1:12.6 8

Men's sprint AthleteRound 1Round 1 repechageQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionResultHeatFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankOppositionResultOppositionResultWarren Johnston2 RW 12.0W 12.4W, WL, LL, L 4

Men's tandem AthleteRound 1Round 1 repechageQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / RankOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRitchie JohnstonWarren JohnstonW 11.3L did not advance =5

Men's team pursuit AthleteRound 1QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / RankOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultWarwick DaltonDonald EagleBruce KentNeil RitchieW 4:55.6L 4:56.4 did not advance =5 Alan Larkins was a reserve for the team pursuit but did not compete.

Field hockey

Men's tournament The men's field hockey team from New Zealand made its Olympic debut in Melbourne. Before 1956, the only international hockey team apart from Australia that New Zealand had played against was India.

Team roster John AbramsIvan ArmstrongKeith CumberpatchArchie CurrieDavid GoldsmithNoel HobsonReginald JohanssonBrian JohnstonMurray LoudonGuy McGregorBill SchaeferBruce TurnerJack Tynan

Group C

TeamPldWDLGFGAPtsQualification 3 2 1 0 7 1 5 Advance to semi-finals 3 1 2 0 5 4 4 Advance to semi-finals 3 1 0 2 8 10 2 5th–8th classification round 3 0 1 2 0 5 1 5th–8th classification round 5th–8th Classification round

TeamPldWDLGFGAPtsOverall rank 3 2 1 0 8 2 5 5 3 2 0 1 16 3 4 6 3 1 1 1 9 5 3 7 3 0 0 3 0 23 0 8

Rowing

In 1956, New Zealand entered boats in three of the seven events. The competition was for men only; women would first row at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Don Rowlands travelled to the Summer Olympics as a reserve but did not compete.

Sailing

Athlete Event Race Net points Final rank1234567 Jack CroppPeter Mander (helm) 12 m² Sharpie9141215516613121512159146086 Albert CuthbertsonRobert Stewart (helm)William Swinnerton Dragon35101298283050402201512

Swimming

AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRank Philippa Gould Women's 100 m backstroke 1:17.5 =18 colspan=2 did not advance Winifred Griffin Women's 100 m freestyle 1:10.4 32 did not advance Women's 400 m freestyle 5:31.0 18 colspan=2 did not advance Lincoln Hurring Men's 100 m backstroke 1:07.5 17 did not advance Marrion Roe Women's 100 m freestyle 1:05.9 8 Q 1:05.3 4 Q 1:05.6 7 Women's 400 m freestyle 5:18.5 13 colspan=2 did not advance Jean Stewart Women's 100 m backstroke 1:15.5 10 colspan=2 did not advance

Weightlifting

AthleteEventPressSnatchClean & JerkTotalRankResultRankResultRankResultRankHugh JonesMen's heavyweight 125 8 122.5 =7 150.0 8 397.5 8

Wrestling

AthleteEventRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5FinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankJohn da SilvaMen's freestyle heavyweightL 0–3L 0–3Eliminated

Officials Chef de mission – Lloyd Woods Assistant team manager – Jim Barnes Chaperone – Mima Ingram Athletics section manager – Cliff Thompson Boxing section manager – Dale Griffin Cycling section manager – Ron Ulmer Field hockey section manager – Eddie McLeod Rowing section manager – William Stevenson Sailing section manager – John Gillingham Swimming section manager – Jack Donaldson Weightlifting section manager – Bryan Mahony Wrestling section manager – Charles McCready

References

External links New Zealand Olympic Committee – Games Profile: 1956 Melbourne sports-reference Picture of athletes at the Olympic Village