Faith Leech
Faith Yvonne Leech (born March 31, 1941 in Bendigo , Victoria ; † September 14, 2013 there ) was an Australian swimmer .
Leech started swimming to fight her scoliosis. At the age of twelve she already swam 1: 07.1 min over 110 yards freestyle, which was called an age group world record. In 1955, at the age of thirteen, she won the Australian Championship over 110 yards. In 1956 she missed the Australian championships due to illness, but won the youth championships in 1: 04.6 minutes just over the world record held by Dawn Fraser . At the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 , she won the bronze medal in the 100 meters freestyle behind Dawn Fraser and Lorraine Crapp in 1: 05.1 minutes . The Australian 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay with Fraser, Leech, Sandra Morgan and Crapp won the gold medal in a world record time of 4: 17.1 minutes.
Leech did little training, but was nicknamed the Flying Fish because of her excellent technique . In 1957, Leech ended her sporting career. After their marriage, her name was Faith Touhy, she worked in her parents' jewelry store and was a swimming instructor in disabled sports.
Web links
- Faith Leech in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Leech, Faith |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Leech, Faith Yvonne (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Australian swimmer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 31, 1941 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bendigo , Victoria |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 14, 2013 |
| Place of death | Bendigo , Victoria |