Esme Harris (20 October 1932 – 9 June 2023) was a British diver. She competed in the women's 3 metre springboard event at the 1948 Summer Olympics[1] and was the youngest British Olympian that year at the age of fifteen.[2] After marrying, she became known as Esme Gibb.[2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Esme Gwyneth Harris |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 20 October 1932 Headington, Oxford, England |
| Died | 9 June 2023 (aged 90) Oxford, England |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Diving |
| Club | Hammersmith Ladies SC |
Early life and training
editHarris grew up in Oxford, and started diving from the age of six, with her father Evan Harris as her coach.[2] She trained at Temple Cowley Pools daily after school.[2] She first started competing as a freestyle swimmer,[3] and also did gymnastics.[2] At the age of 13, she tied for first place in the junior 100 yard swim race, in a dead heat during the 1946 Oxford County Championships.[3]
Diving career
editHarris became the senior Oxford County springboard diving champion in 1947.[3] In July of that year, she also entered the national Women's Springboard Championship at St. Leonards, and placed last.[4] According to the Daily Mirror, Harris '"failed badly on two of her dives", causing the crowds to "[raise] their eyebrows" and groan in disappointment.[4] Afterwards, upon learning that Harris was only 14 years old and had decided to "have a go" at the senior competition because there was no competition at the junior level, "she got a special cheer all to herself" and was lifted up high by a group of male divers to celebrate her attempt.[4]
The year before the Olympics, she traveled from Oxford to London on Saturdays to train with Millie Hudson and competed as part of the Hammersmith Ladies Swimming Club.[5][6]
In July 1948, she placed first in the women's indoor springboard diving trials in Blackpool,[5][3] securing her place on the British Olympic diving team just one month before the start of the Olympic Games in London.[2] Harris placed 13th in the women's springboard competition at the Olympics.[3] Only 15 years old, Esme Harris received extensive media coverage both nationally and internationally.[6][7]
A French coach, Andrew Henry Caza, said of her performance at the 1948 Olympics, "Esme Harris is a real prospect for 1952. She is well-trained to get good height on her take-offs, and has steady balance and timing. She needs now to work on neater entries, with a better foot stretch, but she is very young and will gain this with experience."[6]
Personal life
editIn 1953, she married Jack Gibb, who was also a diver and gymnast.[3] As an adult, she worked at Pressed Steel and at several schools as a dinner lady.[2] As of 2012, she had six grandchildren.[2] She died in Oxford on 9 June 2023, at the age of 90.[3]
References
edit- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Esme Harris Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Pope, Rhianne (14 July 2012). "Ex-dinner lady's life as an Olympian". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Esme Harris". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "Esme, 14, Dives Into the News". Daily Mirror. 28 July 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 16 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Diving belle". Evening Standard. London. 8 July 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Hudson, Millie (27 July 1948). "England has the right ideas about Diving". Evening Standard. Retrieved 19 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Olympic Boy Meets Girl". The Evening News. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 6 August 1948. p. 15. Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
