New Zealand at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

New Zealand at the
1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
CGF codeNZL
CGANew Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association
Websitewww.olympic.org.nz
in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Competitors56
Flag bearersOpening: Max Carr
Closing:
Medals
Ranked 5th
Gold
7
Silver
7
Bronze
5
Total
19
British Empire and Commonwealth Games appearances

New Zealand at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games was represented by a team of 56 competitors and nine officials. Selection of the team for the Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was the responsibility of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association. New Zealand's flagbearer at the opening ceremony was Max Carr. The New Zealand team finished fifth on the medal table, winning a total of 19 medals, seven of which were gold.

New Zealand has competed in every games, starting with the British Empire Games in 1930 at Hamilton, Ontario.

Medal tables

New Zealand was fifth in the medal table in 1954, with a total of 19 medals, including seven gold.

Medal Name Sport Event
 Gold Don Jowett Athletics Men's 220 yards
 Gold Yvette Williams Athletics Women's discus throw
 Gold Yvette Williams Athletics Women's long jump
 Gold Yvette Williams Athletics Women's shot put
 Gold Don Rowlands Rowing Men's single sculls
 Gold Reg Douglas
Bob Parker		 Rowing Men's coxless pair
 Gold Jack Doms Swimming Men's 220 yards breaststroke
 Silver Don Jowett Athletics Men's 440 yards
 Silver John Baird Cycling Men's road race
 Silver James Pirret Lawn bowls Men's singles
 Silver Kerry Ashby
Murray Ashby
Stanley Callagher (cox)
Bruce Culpan
Bill Tinnock		 Rowing Men's coxed four
 Silver Reg Douglas
Bob Parker		 Rowing Men's double sculls
 Silver Lincoln Hurring Swimming Men's 110 yards backstroke
 Silver Jack Doms
Lincoln Hurring
Buddy Lucas		 Swimming Men's 3 x 110 yards medley relay
 Bronze Jack Stewart Diving Men's 3 m springboard
 Bronze Jean Stewart Swimming Women's 110 yards backstroke
 Bronze Tony George Weightlifting Men's light heavyweight
 Bronze Harold Cleghorn Weightlifting Men's heavyweight
 Bronze John Armitt Wrestling Men's featherweight
Medals by sport
Sport Total
Athletics 4 1 0 5
Rowing 2 2 0 4
Swimming 1 2 1 4
Cycling 0 1 0 1
Lawn bowls 0 1 0 1
Weightlifting 0 0 2 2
Diving 0 0 1 1
Wrestling 0 0 1 1
Total 7 7 5 19
Medals by gender
Gender Total
Male 4 7 4 15
Female 3 0 1 4
Total 7 7 5 19

Competitors

The following table lists the number of New Zealand competitors participating at the Games according to gender and sport.

Sport Men Women Total
Athletics 11 3 14
Boxing 4 — 4
Cycling 5 — 5
Diving 1 1 2
Fencing 3 1 4
Lawn bowls 7 — 7
Rowing 8 — 8
Swimming 3 3 6
Weightlifting 3 — 3
Wrestling 2 — 2
Total 47 8 55

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Track

Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank[i] Result Rank[ii] Result Rank
Bill Baillie Men's 880 yards 1:52.3 2 Q — 1:52.5 4
Men's 1 mile 4:11.4 1 Q — 4:13.2 7
Jim Daly Men's 1 mile DNF did not advance
Men's 3 miles — 14:41.0 14
Dave Fleming Men's 440 yards 49.8 3 did not advance
Men's 440 yards hurdles 53.8 3 Q — 53.9 4
Murray Halberg Men's 1 mile 4:07.4 GR 1 Q — 4:07.2 5
Ernie Haskell Men's 3 miles — 14:07.0 9
Men's 6 miles — 31:41.0 11
Don Jowett Men's 220 yards 21.8 1 Q 21.9 1 Q 21.5 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Men's 440 yards 48.4 1 Q 48.9 2 Q 47.4 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Lawrence King Men's 3 miles — 14:03.4 8
Men's 6 miles — 31:01.9 9
Noelene Swinton Women's 100 yards 11.5 8 — did not advance
Yvette Williams Women's 80 m hurdles 11.3 2 Q — 11.5 6
  1. ^ Ranks given are within the heat
  2. ^ Ranks given are within the semifinal

Field

Athlete Event Qualifying Final
Result Rank Result Rank
June Blackburn Women's long jump — 16 ft 0+1⁄2 in
(4.89 m)		 13
Max Carr Men's hammer throw 152 ft 7 in
(46.51 m)		 8 Q 157 ft 0 in
(47.85 m)		 8
Murray Jeffries Men's high jump — 6 ft 2 in
(1.88 m)		 9
Merv Richards Men's pole vault — 13 ft 0 in
(3.96 m)		 5
Noelene Swinton Women's high jump — 5 ft 1 in
(1.55 m)		 =5
Peter Wells Men's high jump — 6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)		 4
Yvette Williams Women's discus throw — 147 ft 8 in
(45.01 m)		 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Women's long jump — 19 ft 11+1⁄2 in
(6.08 m) GR		 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Women's shot put — 45 ft 9+1⁄2 in
(13.96 m) GR		 1st place, gold medalist(s)

Boxing

Main article: Boxing at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Quarter Final Semi Final Final / BM Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result
Eddie Stockley Bantamweight Bye  Smillie (SCO)
L 		Did not advance 4
Alan Scaife Light welterweight —  Harris (SRH)
L 		Did not advance 4
Mike Hannah Welterweight  Gargano (ENG)
L 		did not advance
Maurice Tuck Light middleweight Bye  Wells (ENG)
L 		Did not advance 4

Cycling

Main article: Cycling at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Road

Men's road race
Athlete Time Rank
John Baird 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Les Lock unplaced
Lance Payne unplaced
Neil Ritchie unplaced

Track

Men's 1000 m sprint
Athlete Round 1 Repechage Round 2 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Rank
Colin Dickinson  Ploog (AUS)
 Millman (CAN)
2 		 Harrison (ENG)
 Mallick (PAK)
W 12.3 		 Brotherton (ENG)
W 12.4 		 Cox (AUS)
L, L 		did not advance
Les Lock  Shardelow (SAF)
L 		 Davies (CAN)
 Farooqi (PAK)
2 		 Ploog (AUS)
L 		did not advance
Men's 1 km time trial
Athlete Time Rank
Colin Dickinson 1:13.2 6
Les Lock 1:16.1 16
Neil Ritchie 1:15.3 12
Men's 4000 m individual pursuit
Athlete Qualification Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM Rank
Time Rank Opponent
Result 		Opponent
Result 		Opponent
Result
Neil Ritchie 5:21.4 6  Brotherton (ENG)
L 		did not advance
Men's 10 miles scratch race
Athlete Time Rank
Colin Dickinson unplaced
Les Lock 5
Neil Ritchie unplaced

Diving

Main article: Diving at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Points Rank
Jeanette Laws Women's 3 m springboard 104.26 5
Women's 10 m platform 61.34 4
Jack Stewart Men's 3 m springboard 144.98 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)

Fencing

Main article: Fencing at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Men

Individual epee
Athlete Elimination pool Final pool Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos  Lund
 (AUS)
  		 Schwende
 (CAN)
  		 Reynolds
 (WAL)
  		 Asselin
 (CAN)
  		 Jay
 (ENG)
  		 Barber
 (SAF)
  		— 2 did not advance
Brian Hampton  Brooke
 (CAN)
  		 Paul
 (ENG)
  		 Harding-Smith
 (AUS)
  		 Stafford
 (NZL)
  		 Fethers
 (AUS)
  		 Malherbe
 (SAF)
  		 de Beaumont
 (ENG)
  		3 did not advance
Walter Stafford  Brooke
 (CAN)
  		 Paul
 (ENG)
  		 Harding-Smith
 (AUS)
  		 Hampton
 (NZL)
  		 Fethers
 (AUS)
  		 Malherbe
 (SAF)
  		 de Beaumont
 (ENG)
  		5  Lund
 (AUS)
  		 Paul
 (ENG)
  		 Schwende
 (CAN)
  		 Reynolds
 (WAL)
  		 Brooke
 (CAN)
  		 Harding-Smith
 (AUS)
  		 Asselin
 (CAN)
  		1 8
Individual foil
Athlete Elimination pool Final pool Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos  Howard
 (CAN)
W 		 Barber
 (SAF)
W 		 Cooperman
 (ENG)
L 		 Paul
 (ENG)
W 		 Fethers
 (AUS)
W 		 Hampton
 (NZL)
W 		— 5  Reynolds
 (WAL)
L 		 Lund
 (AUS)
W 		 Fethers
 (AUS)
L 		 Jay
 (ENG)
L 		 Cooperman
 (ENG)
L 		 Robins
 (CAN)
W 		 Paul
 (ENG)
L 		2 7
Brian Hampton  Barber
 (SAF)
L 		 Fethers
 (AUS)
L 		 Howard
 (CAN)
L 		 Cooperman
 (ENG)
L 		 Paul
 (ENG)
L 		 Gittos
 (NZL)
L 		— 0 did not advance
Walter Stafford  Jay
 (ENG)
L 		 Giguère
 (CAN)
L 		 Steel
 (AUS)
L 		 Reynolds
 (WAL)
L 		 Malherbe
 (SAF)
L 		 Lund
 (AUS)
L 		 Robins
 (CAN)
L 		0 did not advance
Individual sabre
Athlete Elimination pool Final pool Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos  Lund
 (AUS)
L 		 Krasa
 (CAN)
L 		 Amberg
 (ENG)
L 		 Brooke
 (CAN)
L 		 Hampton
 (NZL)
W 		 Reynolds
 (WAL)
L 		 Malherbe
 (SAF)
L 		1 did not advance
Brian Hampton  Malherbe
 (SAF)
L 		 Lund
 (AUS)
L 		 Krasa
 (CAN)
L 		 Amberg
 (ENG)
L 		 Gittos
 (NZL)
L 		 Brooke
 (CAN)
L 		 Reynolds
 (WAL)
L 		0 did not advance
Walter Stafford  Schwende
 (CAN)
L 		 Fethers
 (AUS)
L 		 Harding-Smith
 (AUS)
W 		 Cooperman
 (ENG)
L 		 Barber
 (SAF)
L 		 Beatley
 (ENG)
L 		— 1 did not advance
Team epee
Athlete Round robin Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos
Brian Hampton
Walter Stafford 		 England
L 2 – 7 		 Australia
L 0 – 9 		 Canada
L 1 – 8 		0 4
Team foil
Athlete Round robin Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos
Brian Hampton
Walter Stafford 		 Australia
L 2 – 7 		 Canada
L 3 – 6 		 England
L 4 – 5 		0 4
Team sabre
Athlete Round robin Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Austen Gittos
Brian Hampton
Walter Stafford 		 England
L 0 – 9 		 Australia
L 3 – 6 		 Canada
L 2 – 7 		0 4

Women

Individual foil
Athlete Round robin Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Wins
Joyce Francis  Glen-Haig
 (ENG)
L 		 Sheen
 (ENG)
  		 Harding
 (AUS)
  		 Gilbert
 (CAN)
  		 Kimber
 (AUS)
  		 Hale
 (CAN)
  		1 6

Lawn bowls

Main article: Lawn bowls at the 1954 British Empire & Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Round robin Rank
Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		W D L PD
James Pirret Men's singles  Thomas
 (WAL)
W 21 – 19 		 da Luz
 (HKG)
W 21 – 19 		 Bosisto
 (AUS)
L 20 – 21 		 Laing
 (SCO)
W 21 – 7 		 Hodges
 (SRH)
L 17 – 21 		 Fairbairn
 (NRH)
L 14 – 21 		 Lee
 (ENG)
W 21 – 8 		 Linford
 (CAN)
W 21 – 8 		 Saunders
 (SAF)
W 21 – 8 		6 0 3 +45 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Eliphalet Ravenwood
Andrew Snaddon 		Men's pairs  Northern Ireland
L 12 – 29 		 Hong Kong
W 29 – 14 		 Australia
L 16 – 21 		 Scotland
L 20 – 21 		 Southern Rhodesia
L 28 – 17 		 Northern Rhodesia
W 21 – 18 		 England
W 21 – 20 		 Canada
L 13 – 27 		 South Africa
W 25 – 22 		4 0 5 −23 8
William Freeth
Arthur Webster
Arthur Connew
Pete Skoglund
 Men's fours  Wales
L 18 – 24 		 Hong Kong
L 20 – 26 		 Australia
W 30 – 14 		 Scotland
L 14 – 26 		 Southern Rhodesia
L 11 – 26 		 Northern Rhodesia
W 26 – 20 		 England
D 20 – 20 		 Canada
W 29 – 18 		 South Africa
L 14 – 26 		3 1 5 −18 6

Rowing

Main article: Rowing at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Heat Final
Time Rank Time Rank
Don Rowlands Men's single sculls 8:52.1 1 Q 8:28.2 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Bob Parker
Reg Douglas 		Men's double sculls — 8:05.2 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Men's coxless pair — 8:23.9 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Bruce Culpan
Kerry Ashby
Bill Tinnock
Murray Ashby
Stanley Callagher (cox) 		Men's coxed four 8:13.9 2 Q 8:04.0 2nd place, silver medalist(s)

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Heat Final
Result Rank Result Rank
Jack Doms Men's 220 yards breaststroke 2:54.1 2 Q 2:52.6 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Winifred Griffin Women's 110 yards freestyle 1:12.2 12 did not advance
Women's 440 yards freestyle 5:39.8 9 did not progress
Lincoln Hurring Men's 110 yards backstroke 1:07.6 2 Q 1:06.9 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Buddy Lucas Men's 440 yards freestyle 4:58.3 9 did not advance
Men's 1650 yards freestyle 20:17.3 7 did not progress
Marrion Roe Women's 110 yards freestyle 1:08.7 5 1:08.9 4
Women's 440 yards freestyle 5:34.7 8 did not progress
Jean Stewart Women's 110 yards backstroke 1:16.9 2 Q 1:17.5 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Lincoln Hurring
Jack Doms
Buddy Lucas 		Men's 3 x 110 yards medley relay — 3:26.6 2nd place, silver medalist(s)

Weightlifting

Main article: Weightlifting at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Press Snatch Jerk Total Rank
Tony George Light heavyweight 250 lb
(113.4 kg) 		230 lb
(104.3 kg) 		300 lb
(136.1 kg) 		780 lb
(353.8 kg) 		3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Trevor Clark Middle heavyweight 250 lb
(113.4 kg) 		240 lb
(108.9 kg) 		300 lb
(136.1 kg) 		790 lb
(358.3 kg) 		5
Harold Cleghorn Heavyweight 305 lb
(138.3 kg) 		275 lb
(124.7 kg) 		350 lb
(158.8 kg) 		930 lb
(421.8 kg) 		3rd place, bronze medalist(s)

Wrestling

Main article: Wrestling at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athlete Event Elimination rounds Rank
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result
Ken Ruby Bantamweight  Epton (NRH)
L 		 Amin (PAK)
L 		Eliminated
John Armitt Featherweight  Bernard (CAN)
W 		 Geldenhuys (SAF)
L 		 Hall (ENG)
L 		3rd place, bronze medalist(s)

Officials

See also

References

  1. ^ "Empire Games team". The Press. Vol. 90, no. 27352. 18 May 1954. p. 14. Retrieved 6 September 2022.