Competing in her third Olympics, hurdler Shirley Strickland became the first track and field women to defended an Olympic title. Australia opened their Olympic Water Polo campaign and Australia were involved in probably their most thrilling basketball game of the tournament.
ATHLETICS: Installed as favourite after her heat and semi-final 80m hurdles wins, Shirley Strickland was first away in the final. She led over the initial hurdles and hit the tape 1.5 metres ahead of German Gisela Kohler in an Olympic record of 10.7 (run into a strong headwind). South Australia’s Norma Thrower won the bronze, given the same electronic time of 11.25 as fourth placed, Soviet Union’s Galina Bystrova. Watch videos of Strickland’s race: video 1 video 2
In the 400m future AOC President, Kevin Gosper, comfortably won his heat and quarter-final. The reigning Commonwealth champion was looking a strong medal hope as his time of 46.83 was the fastest in the quarter-finals.
The exceptional middle-distance running of Soviet Union’s Vladimir Kuts was again on show in the 5000 metres final, where he won by 10 seconds. Sydney’s Albie Thomas was one of the big improvers at the Games. In the two years leading into the Games he had sliced nearly two minutes from his three mile best. After winning his heat in Melbourne, the youngest in the field, Thomas placed an outstanding fifth. Watch a video of this race: video
BASKETBALL: In their second quarter-final Game, Australia was locked in probably their most thrilling game of the tournament. Playing against Formosa (Chinese Taipei), Australia lead by a point 40-39 at half-time, but in the second half the more agile team from Formosa, shot away to win 85-73. Australia’s 1.98m tall Centre, George Dancis, was the Games finest rebounder, scoring an outstanding 28 points.
BOXING: Contesting the 51kg Flyweight division, Warner Batchelor placed equal fifth. After a bye in round one, he defeated Poland’s Henryk Kukier in a decision. His campaign came to an end in the quarter-final with a defeat by Ireland’s Johnny Caldwell, by decision.
FENCING: The Australian Epee Team of James Wolfensohn, Ivan Lund, Keith Hackshall and Hilbert Van Dijk lost their two pool one games against Italy (11-5) and GBR (9-3) placing them eight in the tournament.
WATER POLO: In their third Olympic campaign Australia had been drawn in a very tough group which included Yugoslavia, Soviet Union and Romania, ranked first, fourth and sixth respectively in the world. Australia opened with a 4-2 loss to Romania, but the final scoreboard was not the story of the match and Australia were unlucky to lose. The hosts had scored early, before Romania equalised, then just before half-time Australia regained the lead with a second goal. In the second half a Romanian player was ordered out of the water, but against the run of play, Romania scored, then again a lucky long shot found the goal, before a final goal just before the finish. Australia had come close to their first Olympic win.
David Tarbotton
