Olympic highlights from the Library collection
Anticipation is building for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which begin on 26 July. Excitingly, 34 athletes from the University of Sydney community will be participating in events including swimming, athletics, beach volleyball, and wrestling. Two of our athletes will also be competing in the Paralympics between 28 August – 8 September, with Bachelor of Science (Honours) graduate Angie Ballard named co-captain for the Australian Paralympic team. Athlete information and results are updated on the Sydney Uni Sport's online Paris Althete Tracker.
As Australia's oldest university, our Library holds many objects that reference historical events from the past 170+ years. We've selected a few of our favourite Olympic-themed collection highlights to share. Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!
If you're interested in researching any of these items, or utilising them in a class or program, please get in touch with our Rare Books and Special Collections team via email.
Les McKeand's fundraiser for the London Olympics (1948)
In the 1 April 1948 edition of Honi Soit (the University of Sydney's student newspaper), a large portrait of athlete and Veterinary Science student Les McKeand was featued on the cover. Above, a bold title announced "Send McKeand to Olympics. Honi Soit opens fund". The article explained how, despite a stellar record as as a triple jumper and thrower, Les would be unable to attend the upcoming London Olympics unless £550 was raised by 10 April. So, the article made its case and called for prompt donations from its readserhsip.
In addition, funds were also also raised from people in Les' hometown of Kyogle, as well as "members of Les' faculty, Vet. Science, and certain of the colleges." Les attended the University from 1943-1948 and would go on to graduate with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 1949.
In happy news, a feature in the 15 April 1948 edition of Honi Soit announced "McKeand Set for London. Last Monday a cheque for £550... was paid to the Australian Olympic Federation. This assures Les' place in the Australian team for London." The cheque was made just in time, on the final possible day. Of this result, Les is quoted in the article saying "I will certainly do my best. You people have done more than your share. The rest is up to me. Words, I'm afraid, are unable to express my appreciation of what you all have done. To you people who so generously supported the fund, the best I can say is thank you very much".
According to his Olympic record, Les went on to place 7th in the Athletics Men's Triple Jump in London.
Related information
- Digitised copy of the 1 April 1948 edition of Honi Soit on the Library's Digital Collections
- Digitsed copy of the 15 April 1948 edition of Honi Soit on the Library's Digital Collections
- Honi Soit collections at the Library
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Proposal for the 1956 XVI Olympiad to be hosted in Melbourne (1948)
Held in the Library's Rare Books and Special Collections are two large albums with suede covers, featuring the enamelled crest of Melbourne. Their opening page reads "The Melbourne Invitation Committee extends a most cordial Invitation to the esteemed International Olympic Committee to celebrate the XVI Olympiad in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956".
The next 60 pages provide a pictorial overview of Melbourne, including four large folded plates (pictured above), evoking what the Olympics might look like in the city. The proposal also includes letters of support from the Governor of Victoria, Premier of Victoria and Lord Mayor, the latter stating: "Melbourne earnestly and sincerely submits its application for an award of the Games and proclaims its eagerness to carry the Olympic torch to Australian shores and thus contribute to the universal success of the Olympic Movement".
As we now know, Melbourne was successful in its bid to host the Olympics in 1956. Although, it does not appear that any of these original designs came into fruition.
Related information
Special issues of Sporting Life for the Melbourne Olympics (1956)
The 1956 Melbourne Olympics marked many firsts. These Olympic Games were not just the first in Australia, but the first to be held outside of Europe or the United States. They were also the first to be broadcast live on television. 323 athletes from 67 nations competed in 145 events; Australia won 13 gold medals, 8 silver and 14 bronze. Amongst these wins were debut swimmer Dawn Fraser's two gold medals (100m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle) and silver medal (400m freestyle).
This commemorative special edition of Sporting Life magazine (pictured above) is held in our Rare Books and Special Collections. It is part of a larger collection of correspondence, drawings, newspaper articles and ephemera from the Ross Gollan collection. Ross was a journalist who had attended the University of Sydney in the 1920s. During his time, he was also the editor of Hermes, Australia’s oldest literary journal published by the University of Sydney Union (USU) since 1886.
Related information
Library on Hold for the Sydney Olympics (2000)
Ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Honi Soit's 9 August edition announced "OLYMPICS PERIOD: LIBRARY ON HOLD". The article explained that during the Olympics, the University's 23 Library sites would have reduced operating hours, and a shortage of staff and services. The reasoning was that "A Government directive has encouraged staff to take leave during the period".
Related information
- Honi Soit collections at the Library (1929-1995)
Related information
Contact
If you're interested in researching any of these items, or utilising them in a class or program, please get in touch with our Rare Books and Special Collections team via email.