Laura Ranwell

1960 Olympic South African Swimming team - Tich Mclachlan, manager Alex Bulley, Laura Ranwell and Aubrey Burer.

Laura was born in Johannesburg on December 13, 1941. She competed for Eastern Transvaal at the SA Swimming Championships in 1959 and 1960, finishing second in the 100 backstroke in both years. 

In 1960 she was selected to compete in the Rome Olympic Games. Although she was the least well-known of the three swimmers selected, she was the one who achieved the most at those Olympic Games.

The Springbok swim team at the 1960 Olympics had a surprise result. Laura Ranwell, who had been beaten at the Olympic trials in South Africa by Rhodesian Lyn Cooper, set an Olympic record in the heats of the 100m backstroke. In the final, she finished with a time tied for third place in the women's 100m backstroke, although judged to have finished 4th.

Admittedly she swam in the first heat, beating the world and Olympic record time set by Judy Grinham in 1956, but four other swimmers also beat that time in the rest of the heats. Rhodesians Lyn Cooper, who had beaten Laura at the Olympic trials, and Dottie Sutcliffe, also swam in the Olympic 100m backstroke, but both failed to progress to the final. Lyn Cooper again won the South African championships in 1961 and 1962, while Laura's name did not reappear in the local swimming press after 1960.

The silver medallist in that race was former South African Natalie Steward, who by then swimming for Great Britain.

Tich McLachlan finished 6th in the finals of both the 400m freestyle and 1500m freestyle.

Aubrey Burer finished 7th in the 100m freestyle final but did not progress from the heats of the 400m and 1500m freestyle events. 

The results of the women's 100m backstroke final were :