New Zealand competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The team consisted of four competitors: an athlete (Arthur Porritt), a boxer (Charlie Purdy), and two swimmers (Clarrie Heard and Gwitha Shand). Porritt was also the team's manager, and he won the nation's first medal in athletics.
The New Zealand Olympic Council decided on the New Zealand representatives at their meeting in Wellington on 11 March 1924 that subject to funding becoming available, fourteen competitors for four disciplines would be put sent to Paris.[1] But in the end, only four competitors were sent.[2]
A New Zealand rowing eight was to be sent, i.e. eight rowers and one cox. The rowers were Clarrie Healey,[3] W. Ryland, H. Sharpe, and W. Coombes (all from Wanganui), C. J. Adams, R. G. Croudis,[4] E. T. Hegglun, and W. Pinkham (all from Blenheim), and W. Sergison (Christchurch).[1] The biggest challenge at the time was a lack of funds and ultimately, the necessary money could not be raised and no rowers were sent.[5][6]Darcy Hadfield was a dominant single sculler at the time but he had become professional in 1922 and was thus no longer eligible to compete at the Olympics.[7][8]
Randolph Rose was the Australasian champion over 3 miles and was one of the Olympic nominees,[1][9] but he was operated for appendicitis in March 1924 and could not go to Paris.[10] The other athletics competitors, Arthur Porritt, was at the time studying in England as a Rhodes scholar at Magdalen College in Oxford. In June 1924, Porritt was appointed captain and manager of the team.[11] The secretary for the team in New Zealand was Philip Rundle, who would be Chef de Mission in 1932.[12]
The New Zealanders did not travel as a team to Paris. Porritt made his way from Oxford to France. Purdy left Auckland on 19 April by the Ulimaroa for Sydney, where he joined the Australian boxing team.[15] The boxers left Sydney on the Ormonde on 30 April.[16] Shand left Auckland on the Niagara on 13 May.[17]
A single athlete represented New Zealand in 1924. It was the nation's second appearance in the sport as well as the Games, though New Zealanders had previously competed in 1908 and 1912 in the Australasia combined team. Porritt won the nation's first medal in the sport with a bronze in the 100 metres. The 100 metres competition was held on 6 and 7 July, and the 200 metres competition was held on 8 and 9 July.[18][19]
In the women's 400 metre freestyle, Shand won her heat on 13 July,[21] and she qualified in the semi-final the following day by coming third.[22] She did not compete in the final on 15 July, though.[23]
In the men's 200 metre breaststroke, Heard came third in his heat on 15 July. As only the first two would automatically advance to the semi-final, and Heard didn't have the fastest third-placed time across the five heats, he was eliminated.[24]
In the women's 100 metre freestyle, Shand came second in her heat on 19 July, and she thus advanced to the semi-final.[25] The following day, she came third in her semi-final, but Great Britain's Vera Tanner came third in the other semi-final with a faster time, hence Shand was eliminated.[26]
Australasia (1908–1912)
