1956 Summer Olympics / Participant (South African Union)

-	-	4th

The South African Union took part in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia with a delegation of 50 athletes, 44 men and 6 women, in 50 competitions in ten sports.

Since 1904 , it was South Africa's eleventh participation in the Summer Olympic Games .

The youngest athlete was the swimmer Jeanette Myburgh at 16 years and 75 days , the oldest athlete was the sailor Dennis Hegarty (44 years and 245 days).

Medals

With four bronze medals won the South African team was ranked 33 in the medal count .

bronze

Surname	sport	competition
Daan Bekker	Boxing	Heavyweight
Henry Loubscher	Boxing	Light welterweight
Jimmy Swift	Cycling	1,000 meters time trial
Moira Abernethy , Jeanette Myburgh , Natalie Myburgh and Susan Roberts	swim	4 × 100 meter freestyle

Participants by sport

Boxing

Men's

• Nicholas André
  • Welterweight

  Fifth place

  Round one: points victory against Lee Shih-Chuan from Taiwan

  Quarterfinals: loss on points to Nicolae Linca from Romania

• Daan Bekker
  • Heavyweight

  Third place

  Round one: BYE

  Quarterfinals: Victory against José Giorgetti from Argentina by technical knockout in the first round

  Semi-finals: defeat to Pete Rademacher from the United States by technical knockout in the third round

• Leonard Leisching
  • Featherweight

  Ninth place

  Round one: BYE

  Round two: points defeat against Henryk Niedžwiedzki from Poland

• Henry Loubscher
  • Light welterweight

  Third place

  Round one: BYE

  Round two: points victory against Leslie Mason from Canada

  Quarterfinals: Beating Joe Shaw of the United States on points

  Semi-finals: defeat on points against Vladimir Jengibarjan from the Soviet Union

• Eddie Ludick
  • Flyweight

  Rank 17

  Round one: loss on points to Abel Laudonio from Argentina

• Piet van Vuuren
  • Light heavyweight

  Ninth place

  Round one: loss on points against Gheorghe Negrea from Romania

• Alexander Webster
  • Light middleweight

  Ninth place

  Round one: loss on points to John McCormack of Great Britain

Weightlifting

Men's

• Reg Gaffley
  • Bantamweight

  Final: 305.0 kg, seventh place

  Military press: 97.5 kg, fourth place

  Snatch: 90.0 kg, seventh place

  Push: 117.5 kg, eighth place

• Gaston Gaffney
  • Bantamweight

  Final: 285.0 kg, tenth place

  Military press: 87.5 kg, seventh place

  Snatch: 85.0 kg, ninth place

  Push: 112.5 kg, eleventh place

• Johannes Greeff
  • medium weight

  Final: 365.0 kg, tenth place

  Military press: 115.0 kg, seventh place

  Tear: 107.5 kg, eleventh place

  Push: 142.5 kg, ninth place

athletics

Ladies

• Hermina Geyser
  • high jump

  Qualifying round: 1.58 meters, fourth place, qualified for the final

  1.40 meters: left out

  1.50 meters: valid, no failed attempt

  1.55 meters: valid, no failed attempt

  1.58 meters: valid, no failed attempt

  Final: 1.64 meters, eighth place

  1.40 meters: left out

  1.50 meters: valid, no failed attempt

  1.55 meters: valid, no failed attempt

  1.60 meters: valid, without a failed attempt

  1.64 meters: valid, without a failed attempt

  1.67 meters: invalid, three failed attempts

• Elaine Winter
  • 80 meter hurdles

  Round one: qualified for the semifinals in run three (second place), 11.1 seconds (hand-stopped), 11.28 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Semi-finals: eliminated in run two (fifth place), 11.3 seconds (hand-stopped), 11.47 seconds (automatically stopped)

  • 100 meter run

  Round one: eliminated in run six (fourth place), 12.5 seconds (hand-stopped), 12.59 seconds (automatically stopped)

Men's

• Jan Barnard
  • marathon

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

• Danie Burger
  • 110 meter hurdles

  Round one: qualified for the semifinals in run three (third place), 14.4 seconds (hand-stopped), 14.59 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Semi-finals: eliminated in run one (sixth place), 15.0 seconds (hand-stopped), 14.95 seconds (automatically stopped)

• Mercer Davies
  • marathon

  Final: 2:39:48 hours, 14th place

• Stephen du Plessis
  • Discus throwing

  Qualifying round: 50.69 meters, second place, qualified for the final

  Try one: 50.69 meters

  Trial two: left out

  Try three: skipped

  Final: 48.49 meters, 13th place

  Try one: 48.49 meters

  Try two: 46.23 meters

  Trial three: 43.31 meters

• Gert Potgieter
  • 400 meter hurdles

  Round one: qualified for the semifinals in run five (second place), 52.0 seconds (hand-stopped), 52.05 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Semi-finals: qualified for the final in run one (third place), 51.3 seconds (hand-stopped), 51.30 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Final: 56.0 seconds (hand-stopped), sixth place

• Neville Price
  • Long jump

  Qualifying round: 7.28 meters, eleventh place, qualified for the final

  Try one: 7.28 meters

  Trial two: left out

  Try three: skipped

  Final: 7.28 meters, seventh place

  Attempt one: invalid

  Trial two: 7.28 meters

  Try three: invalid

• Malcolm Spence
  • 400 meter run

  Round one: qualified for the quarter-finals in run three (rank one), 47.7 seconds (hand-stopped), 47.77 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Quarter-finals: qualified for the semifinals in run three (second place), 47.1 seconds (hand-stopped), 47.08 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Semi-finals: qualified for the final in run one (second place), 47.2 seconds (hand-stopped), 47.27 seconds (automatically stopped)

  Final: 48.3 seconds (hand-stopped), 48.40 seconds (automatically stopped), sixth place

Modern pentathlon

Men's
team

• Results

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

  Cross-country run: competition not started

  Epee fencing: competition not started

  Pistol shooting: competition not started

  Swimming: competition not started

  Show jumping: 195.0 points, twelfth place

• team

  Marthinus du Plessis

  Harry Schmidt

  Ockert van Greunen

singles

• Marthinus du Plessis

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

  Cross-country run: competition not started

  Epee fencing: competition not started

  Pistol shooting: competition not started

  Swimming: competition not started

  Show jumping: competition not finished

• Harry Schmidt

  Final: 1,566.0 points, 36th place

  Cross-country run: 661.0 points, 16: 53.3 minutes, 34th place

  Epee fencing: 445.0 points, won eleven duels, 34th place

  Pistol shooting: 0.0 points, rank 36

  Swimming: 460.0 points, 5: 48.9 minutes, 36th place

  Show jumping: 0.0 points (90.0 points - 140.0 penalty points), 16:04 minutes, rank 37

• Ockert van Greunen

  Final: 3,402.0 points, rank 26

  Cross-country run: 943.0 points, 15: 19.7 minutes, 22nd place

  Epee fencing: 704.0 points, won 18 duels, 13th place

  Pistol shooting: 780.0 points, ranked 16th

  Swimming: 780.0 points, 4: 44.1 minutes, 26th place

  Show jumping: 195.0 points (375.0 points - 180.0 penalty points), 14:10 minutes, rank 27

Cycling

Men's
track
4,000 meters team pursuit

• Results

  Round one: qualified for the quarter-finals in run two (second place), 4: 51.6 minutes

  Quarter-finals: qualified for the semi-finals in run two (first place), 4: 47.8 minutes

  Semi-finals: qualified for the final in run two (second place), 4: 41.0 minutes

  Final: 4: 43.8 minutes, fourth place

• team

  Robert Fowler

  Jan Hettema

  Charles Jonker

  Jimmy Swift

tandem

• Results

  Round one: qualified for the quarterfinals in run two (rank one), 11.2 seconds

  Quarterfinals: Eliminated in run two (second place), two lengths behind

• team

  Tommy Shardelow

  Raymond Robinson

singles

• Jimmy Swift
  • 1,000 meters time trial

  Final: 1: 11.6 minutes, third place

• Tommy Shardelow
  • sprint

  Round one: failed in round six (second place), time unknown

  Round one hope run: qualified for the quarterfinals in run two (first place), 12.6 seconds

  Quarter-finals: eliminated in race one (second place)

Road
team competition (187.73 km)

• Results

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

• team

  Robert Fowler

  Jan Hettema

  Charles Jonker

  Jimmy Swift

singles

• Robert Fowler
  • Road Race (187.73 km)

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

• Jan Hettema
  • Road Race (187.73 km)

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

• Charles Jonker
  • Road Race (187.73 km)

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

• Jimmy Swift
  • Road Race (187.73 km)

  Final: competition not finished (DNF)

Wrestling

Men's
freestyle

• Coenraad de Villiers
  • Welterweight

  eliminated after round four with five minus points, fourth place

  Round one: BYE

  Round two: 3-0 points win against Mitko Petkov from Bulgaria , a minus point

  Round three: points victory against Muhammad Latif from Pakistan (3-0), two minus points

  Round four: 0: 3 point defeat against Nabi Sorouri from Iran , five minus points

• Abe Geldenhuys
  • Featherweight

  eliminated after round three with seven minus points

  Round one: 3-0 defeat against Nasser Givehchi from Iran , three minus points

  Round two: 3-0 points win against Bálint Galántai from Hungary , four minus points

  Round three: points defeat against Myron Roderick from the United States (0: 3), seven minus points

• Jan Theron
  • Light heavyweight

  eliminated after round three with seven minus points

  Round one: shoulder defeat against Gholamreza Takhti from Iran , three minus points

  Round two: Victory on points (3-0) against Kevin Coote from Australia , four minus points

  Round three: Shoulders defeat to Peter Blair from the United States , seven minus points

• Hermanus van Zyl
  • medium weight

  eliminated after round three with seven minus points

  Round one: point defeat (0: 3) against Bengt Lindblad from Sweden , three minus points

  Round two: 3-0 points win against Bakshish Singh from India , four minus points

  Round three: shoulder defeat against Giorgi Schirtladse from the Soviet Union , seven minus points

shoot

Men's

• Johannes Human
  • Small caliber lying

  Final: 595 points, 17th place

  Round one: 99 points, 19th place

  Round two: 100 points, rank 14

  Round three: 98 points, 39th place

  Round four: 98 points, rank 30

  Round five: 100 points, sixth place

  Round six: 100 points, sixth place

• Robin Lavine
  • Small caliber three-position fight

  Final: 1,082 points, rank 41

  Kneeling: 366 points, 39th place

  Round one: 95 points

  Round two: 94 points

  Round three: 87 points

  Round four: 90 points

  Prone: 397 points, eighth place

  Round one: 99 points

  Round two: 99 points

  Round three: 100 points

  Round four: 99 points

  Standing: 319 points, 41st place

  Round one: 83 points

  Round two: 83 points

  Round three: 77 points

  Round four: 76 points

• • Small caliber lying

  Final: 593 points, rank 30

  Round one: 98 points, rank 30

  Round two: 100 points, fourth place

  Round three: 100 points, third place

  Round four: 97 points, 37th place

  Round five: 99 points, 19th place

  Round six: 99 points, rank 27

swim

Women's
4 × 100 meter freestyle relay

• Results

  Round one: qualified for the final in run one (first place), 4: 26.8 minutes

  Final: 4: 25.7 minutes, third place

• Season

  Moira Abernethy

  Jeanette Myburgh

  Natalie Myburgh

  Susan Roberts

singles

• Moira Abernethy
  • 100 meters back

  Round one: eliminated in run two (sixth place), 1: 15.4 minutes

• Jeanette Myburgh
  • 100 meters freestyle

  Round one: qualified for the semifinals in run one (fourth place), 1: 07.1 minutes

  Semi-finals: eliminated in race two (eighth place), 1: 06.7 minutes

• Natalie Myburgh
  • 100 meters freestyle

  Round one: qualified for the semi-finals in run five (second place), 1: 05.1 minutes

  Semi-finals: qualified for the final in run one (fourth place), 1: 06.0 minutes

  Final: 1: 05.8 minutes, eighth place

• • 400 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run four (third place), 5: 16.8 minutes

• Susan Roberts
  • 100 meters freestyle

  Round one: qualified for the semifinals in run four (fourth place), 1: 07.9 minutes

  Semi-finals: eliminated in race two (seventh place), 1: 06.6 minutes

• • 400 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run three (fourth place), 5: 16.8 minutes

Men's
4 × 200 meter freestyle relay

• Results

  Round one: qualified for the final in run one (fourth place), 8: 43.0 minutes

  Final: 8: 49.5 minutes, eighth place

• Season

  Tony Briscoe

  Peter Duncan

  Dennis Ford

  Billy Steuart

singles

• Tony Briscoe
  • 400 m freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run two (second place), 4: 41.4 minutes

• Peter Duncan
  • 100 m freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run two (seventh place), 1: 00.4 minutes

  • 400 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run three (second place), 4: 46.7 minutes

  • 1,500 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run two (fourth place), 19: 58.5 minutes

• Dennis Ford
  • 100 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in run three (sixth place), 59.5 seconds

• William Steuart
  • 100 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in round one (third place), 59.2 seconds

  • 400 meters freestyle

  Round one: eliminated in round four (sixth place), 4: 43.0 minutes

sailing

Men's
5.5 mR class

• Results

  Final: 1,575 points, ninth place

  Race one: 323 points, 2:40:07 hours, sixth place

  Race two: 198 points, 2:51:39 hours, eighth place

  Race three: 499 points, 3:41:11 hours, fourth place

  Race four: competition not finished (DNF)

  Race five: 198 points, 2:29:33 hours, eighth place

  Race six: 101 points, 3:41:39 hours, tenth place

  Race seven: 256 points, 2:41:15 hours, seventh place

• team

  Dennis Hegarty

  Noel Horsfield

  Geoff Myburgh

Sharpie

• Results

  Final: 2,917 points, fifth place

  Race one: 312 points, 3:50:03 hours, eighth place

  Race two: 738 points, 3:47:32 hours, third place

  Race three: competition not finished (DNF)

  Race four: competition not finished (DNF)

  Race five: 613 points, 3:35:47 hours, fourth place

  Race six: 516 points, 3:53:20 hours, fifth place

  Race seven: 738 points, 3:29:45 hours, third place

• team

  Alfred Evans

  John Sully

singles

• Eric Bongers
  • Finn dinghy

  Final: 3,912 points, sixth place

  Race one: 323 points, 3:34:50 hours, twelfth place

  Race two: 323 points, 3:41:37 hours, twelfth place

  Race three: 1,402 points, 3:47:40 hours, first place

  Race four: 800 points, 3:17:30 hours, fourth place

  Race five: competition not finished (DNF)

  Race six: 703 points, 3:28:10 hours, fifth place

  Race seven: 361 points, 3:25:00 hours, eleventh place

do gymnastics

Men's

• Ronnie Lombard
  • Individual all-around

  Final: 100.85 points (50.35 points compulsory - 50.50 points freestyle), rank 51

  Floor exercise: 16.25 points (8.00 points compulsory - 8.25 points freestyle), rank 56

  Horse jump: 17.90 points (9.00 points compulsory - 8.90 points freestyle), rank 50

  Bars: 14.80 points (7.65 points compulsory - 7.15 points freestyle), rank 60

  Horizontal bar: 17.95 points (9.05 points compulsory - 8.90 points freestyle), rank 43

  Rings: 15.90 points (7.60 points compulsory - 8.30 points freestyle), rank 52

  Pommel horse: 18.05 points (9.05 points compulsory - 9.00 points freestyle), 33rd place

• John Norman Wells
  • Individual all-around

  Final: 99.80 points (49.00 points compulsory - 50.80 points freestyle), rank 53

  Floor exercise: 16.50 points (8.45 points compulsory - 8.05 points freestyle), rank 54

  Horse jump: 17.45 points (8.60 points compulsory - 8.85 points freestyle), rank 59

  Bars: 15.35 points (7.40 points compulsory - 7.95 points freestyle), 58th place

  Horizontal bar: 17.20 points (8.50 points compulsory - 8.70 points freestyle), rank 52

  Rings: 15.85 points (7.35 points compulsory - 8.50 points freestyle), rank 53

  Pommel horse: 17.45 points (8.75 points compulsory - 8.75 points freestyle), 48th place

Web links

• South African Olympic team from 1956 in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original ).