Timeline - Paralympics

Year

1974

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In contrast to Perth, Kingston and Edinburgh, the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in New Zealand were hosted by a different city than the able-bodied Games.

Australia at the Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games 1974

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List of the members of the 1974 Australian Commonwealth Paraplegic Team for the Dunedin Games, with links to the members’ Wikipedia articles.

1974 Australian Commonwealth Paraplegic Team Dunedin

From the cool and windy Caledonian ground to the indoor warmth of the RSA club rooms, the acquired concentration of the snooker players. This semi-final match between Noel Simmons of NSW and Jimmy Gibson of Northern Ireland proved to be an easy win for Gibson and Noel had to be content with a bronze medal.

Noel Simmons wins bronze in Snooker, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

The Aussie sprint stars were favoured to take out the slalom events as well. Ray Barrett had won the class 2 sprint but was disqualified in the slalom. This particular obstacle course tested chair handling skill and light manoeuvres more than sheer speed. John Martin wizzes around the ramp platform. Terry Giddy whizzed too hard and came off the side and had to do it again much to his annoyance. Gwen Milbourne was a certainty beaten in the class 2 women’s slalom, when she came to grief in a big way on the ramp. Slalom is an obstacle race against the stop watch with seconds being added as penalties for hitting markers.

Australian Athletic Team, Slalom, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Medical examination of competitors is necessary to establish the classes in which they will compete. Sir Ludwig Guttman is doing the examinations here. He was the founder of the para sporting movement which had small beginnings in Stoke Mandeville near London in 1948 and has since spread throughout the world.

Sir Ludwig Guttman performing medical examinations on athletes

Russel Morrison, a class 4 spina bifida from SA in the backstroke, in which he broke the commonwealth record.

Russell Morrison breaks Backstroke record, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Here is Russel Morrison surging up the pool in his 50m freestyle which he won in record time. Well done congratulations from coach Kirkbride.

Russell Morrison wins 50m freestyle, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Pauline English, also still a high school student has a good win in the 50m freestyle class 4. She also had a fine win in the 150m individual medley.

Pauline English, Swimming, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Vic Renaldson set a new record in weightlifting

Vic Renaldson set a new record in weightlifting

The men’s relay team of Martin, Patterson, McIntyre and Giddy, complete the Australian clean sweep of the men’s track events, amid much jubilation from the Australian camp.

Australian Men’s Athletics Team, Wheelchair Relay, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

The bowls competition was held nearby in Logan Park and also proved successful for Australia. Ruth Twait winning the gold in the singles and the silver in the pairs with Don Bennett showed here in his chair specially fitted with rollers which enable wheelchair players to bowl in able bodied clubs.

Ruth Twait and Don Bennett, Lawn Bowling, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australian at the swimming event

Australian at the swimming event

Kevin Bourden is one of the five South Australian team members who along with five officials and several supporters boarded Adelaide airport. Dr Sorbe Adams and escort Ian Wardrop decide to take Kevin up the steps in his chair in preference to carrying him bodily.

Kevin Borden carried onto the aircraft

Apart from the special events for quads, there is no class distinction in archery and it is surprisingly to find that Australia’s top archers are mostly high level injuries. John Lisle from Victoria is a class 2 competitor and completed a trio of silver medals for Australia in archery, although he had trouble shivering in the icy breezes.

John Lisle, Archery, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

In an adjacent hall in the students union the fencers were doing battle. Robert Jorgan was Australia only representative while the English and Scottish competitors were too experiences. The chairs are anchored at the correct distance and the competitors wired to the electronic score board. When a scoring hit is made, a green light comes on and a point is registers against the person hit. Robert is satisfied with his performance and puts it down to experience. The same hall was used later in the week for weight lifting.

Robert Jorgan, Fencing, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Jeff Harrison in the class 1b discus. Jeff is a quadriplegic from SA. In the same class is Ree from Jamaica showing a good deal more strength and mobility. Morris Ireland from QLD in the class 2 discus event. The Kenyan's look more at home in the cold that Eric Russell and Dennia Kay, huddled in blankets. Dennis Kay from SA in class 3. Because of the lower level of his injury he can exert much more rotation in his trunk than those in the higher classes.

Australian Team, Discus, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Bobby McIntyre and Hugh Patterson wins gold in Class 5 and Class 3 wheelchair dash respectively

Bobby McIntyre and Hugh Patterson, Wheelchair Dash, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

After a night in a warm bed, the paras are up early the next morning boarding the specially converted buses taking them to their events. The red uniformed hostesses are very much able bodied but the driver willingly gives assistance anyhow. These buses have been taken off their normal runs for games. All the seats were removed, the floors levelled and safety bars installed. They hold 16 chairs.

Buses modified to ferry the wheelchair athletes

Here is the final of the 200m, starting from the other side of the arena. The wet track makes it a long hard push, but Australia scores 1, 2, 3, with Terry, Bob and Hugh showing their strength and giving warning of the Australian mens dominance in the remaining track events.

Australian Team, 200m Dash, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australia wins gold medals from Elaine Shriver and Noel Simmons.

Elaine Shriver and Noel Simmons, Precision Javelin, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australia has 50 competitors and 22 escorts and is the second largest team. Veterean Kevin Bettts leads the team as manager. There are 23 from NSW, 10 from QLD, 5 from SA, 6 from VIC and 6 from WA.

Australian Contingent, Opening Ceremony Wheel Pass, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australia’s women sprint relay team line up to receive their silver medals, a fitting reward for their planning and practicing with their coach Ian Wardrop. Team of Sherry Ireland, Jean Stokes, Barb Worley and Gwen Milbourne used the moving changeover to gain precious seconds but couldn’t catch the Jamaicans.

Australia Women’s Team, Wheelchair Relay, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Getting the paras on and off aeroplanes is one of the more strenuous duties of the escorts. Fork lifts and elevating platforms can help, but with a large group, carrying up and down the steps seems to be the most efficient method.

Athletes boarding and alighting the plane

The star of women’s field events from Australia was Tracey Freeman from QLD competing in class 1b. She set new records in discus, javelin and shot, a tremendous performance.

Tracey Freeman sets new records in discus, javelin and shot put.

Australians in Table Tennis Event during the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australians Table Tennis Team at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

The closing ceremony at dusk on the lawns outside the union building made a fitting end to these very friendly games. The New Zealand hosts had done everything in their power to strengthen the bonds of friendship between commonwealth paraplegic athletes. Their efforts were not in vain.

Closing Ceremony, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

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