Kathleen Tui Shipston (born 19 September 1951) is a New Zealand former competitive

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

who competed at the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...

. Shipston was known for her ability to swim all strokes and distances and qualified for all 22 events at the 1967 National Swimming Championships and notable held over 75 Canterbury and New Zealand records in 1967. Shipston attended St. Margaret's College in Christchurch. Shipston married Humphrey Brett Wood in 1971.

Swimming Career

1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Shipston remarkably qualified for the

1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Kingston, Jamaica, from 4 to 13 August 1966. This was the first time that the Games had been held outside the so-called White Dominions. The event was followed by the 1966 Commonweal ...

held in

Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the six most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...

, Jamaica when she went under the target mark as a 14-year-old swimming solo at Moana Pool in Dunedin. Racing in the heats of the 220 yard backstroke, Shipston finished 10th in a time of 2:46.2 and 11th in the heats 110 yard backstroke. Shipston failed to progress to the final of the 440 yard individual medley but was promoted to the final after compatriot Margaret Macrae pulled out of the race to focus on other races. In the final, Shipston finished in 8th place. Shipston raced in the 440 yards medley relay team that finished 5th in the final alongside Macrae, Vivien Haddon and Heather Kerr.

1968 Summer Olympics

Aged sixteen, Shipston competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics held in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

after going under the Olympic target time by 0.2 seconds and bettering her own national senior record by 3.7 at the 1968 Canterbury Championships at Centennial Pool. In the heats of the 400 metre individual medley, Shipston finished second behind Marianne Seydel of East Germany in a time of 5:33.7 progressing to the final where she finished 7th in a time of 5:34.6. Sickness impacted Shipston's performance in the race after failing to eat or sleep before race. Manager of the team Mr R. Webb was opposed to her swimming in the heats and after her race spoke of her determination and courage. Despite winning her heat in the 200 metre individual medley, her time of 2:35.5 was not good enough to make the final. She finished 4th in her heat of the 800 metre freestyle in a time of 10:28.0. Shipston also joined with Glenda Stirling, Pru Chapman and Sandra Whittleston in the 4x100 metre medley relay but finished 6th in Heat 1 with a 4:49.0. Shipston was coached by local swim coach legend Jack Breward who taught her to swim and coached her between the ages of nine and eighteen.

Honours

* 1969 Swimming New Zealand Baxter O'Neill Trophy - Swimmer of the Year * 1969 Swimming New Zealand Harold Pettit Trophy - Highest individual Points Scorer

References

1951 births Living people New Zealand female swimmers Olympic swimmers for New Zealand Swimmers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Swimmers from Christchurch Swimmers at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games swimmers for New Zealand 20th-century New Zealand sportswomen {{NewZealand-swimming-bio-stub People educated at St Margaret's College