New Zealand at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
# New Zealand at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

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

### Track

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Bill Baillie | Men's 880 yards | 1:52.3 | 2 Q | — | — | 1:52.5 | 4 |
| Bill Baillie | Men's 1 mile | 4:11.4 | 1 Q | — | — | 4:13.2 | 7 |
| Jim Daly | Men's 1 mile | DNF | DNF | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Jim Daly | Men's 3 miles | — | — | — | — | 14:41.0 | 14 |
| Dave Fleming | Men's 440 yards | 49.8 | 3 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Dave Fleming | 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 |
| Ernie Haskell | Men's 6 miles | — | — | — | — | 31:41.0 | 11 |
| Don Jowett | Men's 220 yards | 21.8 | 1 Q | 21.9 | 1 Q | 21.5 | |
| Don Jowett | Men's 440 yards | 48.4 | 1 Q | 48.9 | 2 Q | 47.4 | |
| Lawrence King | Men's 3 miles | — | — | — | — | 14:03.4 | 8 |
| Lawrence King | Men's 6 miles | — | — | — | — | 31:01.9 | 9 |
| Noelene Swinton | Women's 100 yards | 11.5 | 8 | — | — | did not advance | did not advance |
| Yvette Williams | Women's 80 m hurdles | 11.3 | 2 Q | — | — | 11.5 | 6 |

* ↑ Ranks given are within the heat
* ↑ Ranks given are within the semifinal

### Field

| Athlete | Event | Qualifying | Qualifying | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | 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) | |
| Yvette Williams | Women's long jump | — | — | 19 ft 11+1⁄2 in (6.08 m) GR | |
| Yvette Williams | Women's shot put | — | — | 45 ft 9+1⁄2 in (13.96 m) GR | |

## Boxing

| Athlete | Event | Quarter Final | Semi Final | Final / BM | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| 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 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Maurice Tuck | Light middleweight | Bye | Wells (ENG) L | Did not advance | 4 |

## Cycling

### Road

**Men's road race**

| Athlete | Rank |
| - | - |
| John Baird | |
| 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 | Final / BM |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | 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 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Les Lock | Shardelow (SAF) L | Davies (CAN) Farooqi (PAK) 2 | Ploog (AUS) L | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | Qualification | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Time | Rank | Opponent Result | Opponent Result | Opponent Result | Rank |
| Neil Ritchie | 5:21.4 | 6 | Brotherton (ENG) L | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |

**Men's 10 miles scratch race**

| Athlete | Rank |
| - | - |
| Colin Dickinson | unplaced |
| Les Lock | 5 |
| Neil Ritchie | unplaced |

## Diving

| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank |
| - | - | - | - |
| Jeanette Laws | Women's 3 m springboard | 104.26 | 5 |
| Jeanette Laws | Women's 10 m platform | 61.34 | 4 |
| Jack Stewart | Men's 3 m springboard | 144.98 | |

## Fencing

### Men

**Individual epee**

| Athlete | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | 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 | Rank |
| Austen Gittos | Lund (AUS) | Schwende (CAN) | Reynolds (WAL) | Asselin (CAN) | Jay (ENG) | Barber (SAF) | — | 2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | 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 | Rank |
| 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |

**Individual sabre**

| Athlete | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Elimination pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Final pool | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | 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 | Rank |
| 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | 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 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |

**Team epee**

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

## Lawn bowls

| Athlete | Event | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Round robin | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | W | D | L | PD | Rank |
| 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 | |
| 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

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Don Rowlands | Men's single sculls | 8:52.1 | 1 Q | 8:28.2 | |
| Bob Parker Reg Douglas | Men's double sculls | — | — | 8:05.2 | |
| Bob Parker Reg Douglas | Men's coxless pair | — | — | 8:23.9 | |
| Bruce Culpan Kerry Ashby Bill Tinnock Murray Ashby Stanley Callagher (cox) | Men's coxed four | 8:13.9 | 2 Q | 8:04.0 | |

## Swimming

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Jack Doms | Men's 220 yards breaststroke | 2:54.1 | 2 Q | 2:52.6 | |
| Winifred Griffin | Women's 110 yards freestyle | 1:12.2 | 12 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Winifred Griffin | Women's 440 yards freestyle | 5:39.8 | 9 | did not progress | did not progress |
| Lincoln Hurring | Men's 110 yards backstroke | 1:07.6 | 2 Q | 1:06.9 | |
| Buddy Lucas | Men's 440 yards freestyle | 4:58.3 | 9 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Buddy Lucas | Men's 1650 yards freestyle | 20:17.3 | 7 | did not progress | did not progress |
| Marrion Roe | Women's 110 yards freestyle | 1:08.7 | 5 | 1:08.9 | 4 |
| Marrion Roe | Women's 440 yards freestyle | 5:34.7 | 8 | did not progress | did not progress |
| Jean Stewart | Women's 110 yards backstroke | 1:16.9 | 2 Q | 1:17.5 | |
| Lincoln Hurring Jack Doms Buddy Lucas | Men's 3 x 110 yards medley relay | — | — | 3:26.6 | |

## Weightlifting

| 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) | |
| 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) | |

## Wrestling

| Athlete | Event | Elimination rounds | Elimination rounds | Elimination rounds | Rank |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Ken Ruby | Bantamweight | Epton (NRH) L | Amin (PAK) L | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| John Armitt | Featherweight | Bernard (CAN) W | Geldenhuys (SAF) L | Hall (ENG) L | |

## Officials

* Team manager – Alex Ross
