SWIMMER

Joan Harrison

1935 - 2025

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Joan Cynthia Harrison (later Breetzke, 29 November 1935 – 20 May 2025) was a South African swimmer who won the 100 metres backstroke event at the 1952 Olympics. Harrison was born in 1935 in East London, South Africa. After setting multiple national records and winning multiple national titles at 13 years old, the year later, she won the 440-yard freestyle event at the 1950 British Empire Games. She then won gold in the 100 metres backstroke event at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, making her the first South African swimmer to win Olympic gold. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Joan Harrison is the 28th most popular swimmer (up from 164th in 2019), the 87th most popular biography from South Africa (up from 204th in 2019) and the most popular South African Swimmer.

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Among SWIMMERS

Among swimmers, Joan Harrison ranks 28 out of 709. Before her are Ken Walsh, Joe Ruddy, Roland Matthes, Kirsty Coventry, Ann Curtis, and Allen Stack. After her are John Arthur Jarvis, Henry Taylor, Arne Borg, Bill Tuttle, Martha Norelius, and Otto Fahr.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1935, Joan Harrison ranks 255. Before her are Ivan Dimitrov, Shyama, Sergio Rossi, Igor Dmitriyevich Novikov, Alain Barrière, and Ryhor Baradulin. After her are Sergei Yursky, José Ramos Delgado, Imre Makovecz, Eiko Kadono, Vitaly Sevastyanov, and Semka Sokolović-Bertok. Among people deceased in 2025, Joan Harrison ranks 227. Before her are Manoj Kumar, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Sulochana Gadgil, Calistrat Cuțov, Mike Castle, and Paul Day. After her are Udo Voigt, Russell M. Nelson, Clem Burke, Nina Grebeshkova, Athol Fugard, and Valerie Mahaffey.

Others Born in 1935

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In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Joan Harrison ranks 87 out of 454. Before her are Marlene Dumas (1953), Abdullah Ibrahim (1934), J. L. B. Smith (1897), Walter Sisulu (1912), Alice Krige (1954), and Laurens van der Post (1906). After her are J. B. M. Hertzog (1866), Athol Fugard (1932), Chris Heunis (1927), Trevor Jones (1949), Janet Suzman (1939), and Frances Ames (1920).

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Among SWIMMERS In South Africa

Among swimmers born in South Africa, Joan Harrison ranks 1. After her are Roland Schoeman (1980), Tatjana Schoenmaker (1997), Penelope Heyns (1974), Chad le Clos (1992), Cameron van der Burgh (1988), Natalie du Toit (1984), Tamsin Cook (1998), Michelle Toro (1991), Keri-anne Payne (1987), Brad Tandy (1991), and Emma Chelius (1996).

South African born Swimmers

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