Dawn Fraser and science

The tangled history of the flag of Tokyo went like this.

relay race

After the victory of the cent Dawn Fraser He still has the relay. So he couldn’t celebrate. Since the relay was a struggle between Australia and the United States, everyone paid attention. For two Olympics, the teams have been neck and neck. The United States opened this time with Studer Who swam 1’01.2, nothing by Dawn’s standards, but exceptional by comparison fork, who did 1’03.8. In the 2nd battalion had Americans Donna de Varona, the very young mistress of a co-ed who was also good in style. swam 60.9, while he swam Murphy 1’02.9. Then there it was Lillian Watsonwhich spanned another 60, while Lynette Bell He grabbed “only” 1’01.6. So when Dawn left the gap between the two contenders was huge. Dawn didn’t seem to mind. He began to regroup, while the audience howled in hope of a miracle. In the end he touched 58.6, the strongest fraction in history. But America had the world record (4’03.8) and Australia was three seconds away.

documentary

Now, however, Dawn is free. specific Lee Robinson He was making a documentary about it, so he was allowed to leave the village and join the resident filmmakers at the Imperial Palace, a luxurious hotel half a mile from the Emperor’s palace. Also in the hotel was the Australia hockey team, which won the bronze medal on the final day. Thus, Dawn finds herself embroiled in their rather wild revelry (beer, music, talk, probably nothing forbidden) that lasts well into the morning. It was in the middle of the night d Howard TwainThe team doctor came up with genius: to commemorate the Olympic flags that were flying around the palace. She told Dawn, who couldn’t help herself. He followed them Des Piperone of the players who heard and wanted to stay there.

flag hunt

The thing was simple. Flags were everywhere. They will take one each. One on each other’s shoulders and the game is over. Des was the youngest, so it was his turn at the top of the pyramid. In the third cup came booing from the police. The referee raised his flag, rolled it up and placed it under his suit. Howard and Des escaped instead. Dawn hid in the bushes, waiting for the right moment. When he arrived, he came out of his hiding place, but ended up in a smelly and cold lake, in which he soaked for a while. There were still people around screaming. After all the noise he walked out, with a bad ankle from a jump off a wall gone wrong. He was still in pain thinking of what to do when a policeman’s hand grabbed his shoulder.

police

Not understanding a single word, he began to deny everything. Then the corner of the flag protruding from his jacket caught the policeman’s attention. When they got to the station it was three in the morning. Dawn was alone and afraid. A middle-aged man introduced himself as a camera police supervisor. It didn’t take long for me to realize he was a very good guy. At first he found it hard to believe, then he made himself convinced, especially when they brought him his passport and medals from the Olympic Village.

Apologies

And the darkened Dawn wrote a naughty letter of apology saying she was sorry for everything. He also said that he thought the flag was a souvenir to take him back to Australia. And it ended with the supervisor who, after collecting the stolen goods, took pictures with her and the medal around his neck. The next day, while they were speaking the truth, that policeman showed up at the hotel with four of his men. He had a box full of flowers with the famous folded flag inside. A tribute and an implicit warning saying how much better to ask for things than to steal them. The thing seems to be over. The games ended spectacularly. Dawn also carried her country’s flag in the team’s final parade. At home they gave her parties of all kinds. Her wedding and honeymoon are also waiting for her.

Conclusion

The prank arrived in February 1965 with a letter delivered to the house of the Leichhardt pool keeper, where Dawn worked but never lived. He spoke on her behalf for a 10-year disqualification. The message came from Bill PhillipsSecretary of the Amateur Swimming Federation, Federation of Australia. He took all the rumors in the newspapers as true, without her being able to say anything. Perhaps it was revenge on those who never loved and endured simply because they were strong. There will be no fourth Dawn Olympiad. That paper said that the career of the world’s strongest swimmer was over.