THERE are not many Bendigo sporting venues which carry the name of a legend.<\/p>\n
But Faith Leech Aquatic Centre in Barnard Street, next door to Queen Elizabeth Oval, is one that honours a Bendigo swimming great.<\/p>\n
At the age of 15, Leech won gold and bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.<\/p>\n
She teamed with Dawn Fraser, Sandra Morgan and Lorraine Crapp to win the 4 x 100-metre freestyle in what was a world record time of 4:17.1.<\/p>\n
Another high for Leech was in the 100-metre freestyle, where she clocked a time of 65.1 seconds as the legendary Dawn Fraser marked the first of an Olympics hat-trick in the event by winning in a world record 62 seconds as Lorraine Crapp swam 62.3 to take silver.<\/p>\n
Many other greats from Bendigo have competed at the Olympics, but Leech is the only athlete from the city to have won gold.<\/p>\n
A series of illnesses led to her taking up swimming to increase her strength.<\/p>\n
In 1955, Leech won what was then known as the Australian 100-yard (now 100-metre) freestyle at the age of 13.<\/p>\n
Illness meant she was sidelined for the Australian Championships in 1956, but she recovered to earn her place in Australia\u2019s team for the Games.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, after her success in Melbourne, Leech decided to retire from competitive swimming.<\/p>\n
She worked as a model in Melbourne before returning to Bendigo to work in the family\u2019s jewellery business.<\/p>\n
Family, and Leech Jewellers, became a major focus for the retired athlete.<\/p>\n
The Olympic movement was still important to Leech, who also became a key figure with Special Olympics and the Paralympics.<\/p>\n
She taught swimming to children with a disability and several of those went on to swim at Special Olympics meets.<\/p>\n
Her fighting qualities came to the fore after a tumour was discovered in her neck in 2001.<\/p>\n
After a lengthy operation and six weeks of radiotherapy, Leech became a volunteer for the Cancer Council.<\/p>\n
Putting others before herself was a trait which endeared her too so many.<\/p>\n
In 1993-94, she was among the first inductees to the Bendigo Sports Star of the Year Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
The swimming champion was joined by legendary football coach Bob McCaskill and gun lawn bowler Don Sherman in the elite club.<\/p>\n
In 2013, Faith passed away at the age of 73.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THERE are not many Bendigo sporting venues which carry the name of a legend. But Faith Leech Aquatic Centre in Barnard Street, next door to Queen Elizabeth Oval, is one that honours a Bendigo swimming great. At the age of 15, Leech won gold and bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. She teamed with Dawn […]<\/p>\n