Frances Slaap
Frances Mary Slaap (born 25 June 1941) is a British athlete. She competed in the women's high jump at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics.[1] She also represented England in the 80 metres hurdles and high jump at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia.[2][3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 25 June 1941 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | High jump |
Early life
She attended Frays College.[4]
She attended Ruislip Athletic Club, where she was trained by Dorothy Tyler-Odam. She won the All-England Schools title in 1960.[5]
Career
By the early 1960s, she was a biology teacher. By 1964 she taught at a Hertfordshire school; aged 23, she had given up teaching that year.[6]
Athletics
She broke the English high jump record on Saturday 4 July 1964 at White City at the Women's AAA Championships, jumping 5ft 8.5in, equalling the British record.[7]
On Saturday 15 August 1964 she jumped 5ft 9in at White City, in a Britain-Poland competition, taking the British record, which had stood since 1956.
At Portsmouth she jumped 5ft 9.25in, increasing the British record on Saturday 26 September 1964. At the same event at Alexandra Park, Portsmouth, Mary Rand also unofficially broke the women's long jump world record, and was the first woman to jump 22ft, but she had a back wind.[8]
On 15 October 1964 in the Olympic final, she came 6th, being the only British woman in the final.
Emigration to Australia
She emigrated to Australia in December 1966 after not being picked for the England Commonwealth nor the British European team. She looked to compete for the Australian team in the 1968 Summer Olympics.[9]
She moved to Brisbane on 14 December 1966 to work for an airline.[10]
She moved to England for three months in 1968 to try to get into the British team for the upcoming 1968 Summer Olympics.[11]
References
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Frances Slaap Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- "1962 Athletes". Team England.
- Buckinghamshire Advertiser Friday 2 July 1954, page 14
- Daily Herald Friday 9 September 1960, page 12
- Daily Mirror Monday 17 August 1964, page 18
- Sunday Mirror Sunday 5 July 1964, page 28
- The People Sunday 27 September 1964, page 24
- Daily Mirror Thursday 13 October 1966, page 27
- Daily Mirror Wednesday 14 December 1966, page 17
- Daily Mirror Monday 11 March 1968, page 27