From the Fort Street Archives

Fort Street Olympians

The Olympic Games are considered the world’s foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. From 241 participants representing 14 nations at the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, the Olympics Games have grown to about 10,500 competitors from 204 nations at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

Some of the past Fortians who have brought great honour by winning thirteen medals include Freddie Lane, Harold Hardwick, Betty McKinnon and June Maston. Interestingly, if Fort Street was a country, it would rate with of nations like Chile, Israel, and Malaysia in the medal tally to date. Take a look at the list, below, of other Fortians who have participated in the Olympics. It makes you wonder who, amongst the current cohort of Fort Street students, could be Australia’s next great Olympian.

Lane, Frederick Claude Vivien “Freddie” (Fortian 1893)

Paris 1900 – Swimming – Gold medals 200m & obstacle.

Hardwick, Harold Hampton (Fortian 1905)

Stockholm 1912 – Swimming – Gold medal 4×200 relay; Bronze medals 400m & 1500m freestyle

McKinnon, Elizabeth L ‘Betty’ (Fortian 1941)

London 1948 – Athletics – Silver Medal 4x100m relay

Ferguson, June Elaine (Maston) (Fortian 1944)

London 1948 – Athletics – Silver Medal 4x100m relay

Mathews, Marlene Judith (Fortian 1951)

Melbourne 1956 – Athletics – Bronze Medals 100m/200m

Henricks, John Malcolm ‘Jon’ (Fortian 1954)

Melbourne 1956 – Swimming – Gold medals 100m freestyle and 4x200m relay