New Zealand at the 1956 Summer Olympics

New Zealand at the Olympic Games
Flag of New Zealand – Flag bearers IOC code  NZL NOC New Zealand Olympic Committee Website www.olympic.org.nz
At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne/Stockholm
Competitors	53 in 9 sports
Officials	12
Flag bearer	Ritchie Johnston
Medals Rank: 16	Gold 2	Silver 0	Bronze 0	Total 2
Olympic history (summary)
Summer Games
1908* • 1912* • 1920 • 1924 • 1928 • 1932 • 1936 • 1948 • 1952 • 1956 • 1960 • 1964 • 1968 • 1972 • 1976 • 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1996 • 2000 • 2004 • 2008 • 2012 *with Australia as Australasia
Winter Games
1952 • 1956 • 1960 • 1964 • 1968 • 1972 • 1976 • 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1994 • 1998 • 2002 • 2006 • 2010

New Zealand competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Norman Read was not originally selected, but (with Bill Bailey) went to Australia. Reed won the Australian 50 km championship, was then selected, and won a gold medal.

Medalists

Gold

• Norman Read — Athletics, Men's 50km Walk
• Jack Cropp and Peter Mander — Sailing, Men's Sharpie 12m² Team Competition

Results and competitors by event

Athletics

Men's Marathon

• Albert Richards — 2:41:34 (→ 17th place)

Men's Competition

• Neville Scott
• Murray Halberg
• Maurice Rae
• Norman Read

Women's Competition

• Jessie Donaghy
• Valerie Sloper
• Margaret Stuart
• Beverley Weigel

Boxing

• Paddy Donovan
• Graham Finlay

Cycling

Men's 1.000m Scratch Sprint

• Warren Johnston — 4th place

Men's 1.000m Time Trial

• Warwick Dalton — 1:12.6 (→ 8th place)

Men's 2.000m Tandem

• Richard Johnston
  Warren Johnston — 6th place

Men's 4.000m Team Pursuit

• Donald Eagle
  Leonard Kent
  Neil Ritchie
  Warwick Dalton — 6th place

Men's Track Competition

• Alan Larkins

Hockey

Men's team competition

The men's field hockey team from New Zealand made its Olympic debut in Melbourne. Before 1956, the only hockey team apart from Australia that played against New Zealand was India. The Kiwi's finished sixth at their first Olympic appearance.

Results:

• New Zealand - Belgium 3-0
• New Zealand - Belgium 3-2
• New Zealand - Australia 0-1
• New Zealand - Germany 4-5
• New Zealand - Pakistan 1-5
• New Zealand - Singapore 13-0

Team Roster

• John Abrams
• Ivan Armstrong
• Phillip Bygrave
• Keith Cumberpatch
• Archie Currie
• David Goldsmith
• Noel Hobson
• Reginald Johansson
• Brian Johnston
• Murray Loudon
• Guy McGregor
• Bill Schaefer
• Bruce Turner
• John Tynan

Rowing

Men's Competition

• Reginald Douglas
• Donald Gemmell
• James Hill
• Colin Johnstone
• Ray Laurent
• Peter Lucas
• Bob Parker (rower)
• Don Rowlands
• Allan Tong

Sailing

Men's Competition

• Peter Mander
• Jack Cropp
• Albert Cuthbertson
• Robert Stewart
• William Swinnerton

Swimming

Men's Competition

• Winifred Griffin
• Lincoln Hurring

Women's Competition

• Philippa Gould
• Marion Roe
• Jean Stewart

Weightlifting

Men's Competition

• Richard Jones

Wrestling

Men's Freestyle Competition

• John Silva

External links

• New Zealand Olympic Committee - Games Profile: 1956 Melbourne
• sports-reference