42 Facts About Faith Leech

Faith Leech quickly rose to prominence after breaking a string of age group records.

Faith Leech twice broke the Australian record in the 100-yard freestyle in late 1955, thereby positioning herself as a leading contender for Olympic selection in 1956.

Faith Leech's preparation was hindered by illness, which forced her out of the 1956 Australian Championships, but she recovered to gain Olympic selection in both the 100-metre freestyle and the corresponding relay.

Faith Leech produced a late surge to take bronze in the individual event and seal an Australian trifecta, before swimming the second leg in the relay to help secure an Australian victory in world record time.

Faith Leech retired after the Olympics at the age of 15; she cited anxiety caused by racing as one of the main factors in her decision.

The second child of Johnstone Melmore and Jessie Francis Faith Leech, Faith Leech was born in Bendigo, Victoria.

Faith Leech was given the name Faith after her elder sister, who died from leukaemia at the age of two.

Faith Leech was twice rushed from the family home to a Melbourne hospital.

Faith Leech was later placed on a diet of fruit, salad and vegetables, with an emphasis on beetroot juice and carrot juice.

Faith Leech's health improved, but she remained slight and frail, with a double curvature of the back.

Faith Leech was coached by Gustav Frohlich, a former European swimming champion and coach of Australian Olympic medallist Judy-Joy Davies.

Faith Leech progressed steadily, sweeping the state age titles from nine to 13, setting records that were often faster than those by boys of the same age.

Faith Leech moved there with her mother, while her father stayed in Bendigo to look after the family's jewellery business.

From 1954, Faith Leech attended St Michael's Girls' Grammar School and trained with Froelich on a daily basis at the City Baths.

The regular sessions paid off at the 1955 Victorian Championships; Faith Leech won the open 110- and 220-yard freestyle in times of 1 minute 7.2 seconds and 2 minutes 39.3 seconds, respectively, setting state records in both events.

Faith Leech proceeded to the Australian Championships, winning the 110-yard freestyle in 1 minute 7.6 seconds to become the youngest ever winner of an open title at the age of 13.

Faith Leech's regimen differed from most swimmers because Froelich was not an advocate of distance training, and designed shorter workouts for his students.

Froelich did not push her to continue swimming laps when she felt tired, but emphasised an efficient stroke mechanism, which Faith Leech implemented with a long and graceful arm action.

Faith Leech's long streamlined action prompted observers to call her a "flying fish".

Faith Leech did not get an opportunity to defend her Australian title in 1956 because she was hospitalised with illness.

Faith Leech recovered in time to win the national age title in the 100-metre freestyle in a time of 1 minute 4.6 seconds, just 0.1 of a second outside Dawn Fraser's world record.

Faith Leech then posted a time of 1 minute 4.6 seconds to defeat Fraser and Lorraine Crapp at another meeting in the following month.

Faith Leech was named in the Olympic squad and the Australian Swimming Union exempted her from travelling to the national training camp in Townsville so she could train with Froelich, who understood her special dietary requirements.

Fraser and Crapp were too strong in the 100-metre freestyle, with Faith Leech finishing second and third in the two races.

Faith Leech won her heat by 1.6 seconds in a time of 1 minute 4.9 seconds.

Faith Leech was third fastest qualifier behind Fraser and Crapp, who were over 1.5 seconds faster.

Faith Leech overtook the United States' Joan Rosazza in the final 25 metres to take bronze in 1 minute 5.1 seconds.

The youngest swimmer in the field, Faith Leech had come through to claim the last podium position.

Faith Leech said that it was an emotional occasion, having seen the Australian men take a trifecta in the corresponding event on the previous night of racing.

Faith Leech was not assured of a place in the final quartet.

Faith Leech finished her leg in 1 minute 4.0 seconds, two seconds slower than the world record she set in the individual 100-metre final, but with a 2.3-second lead over the United States' Sylvia Ruuska.

Swimming the second leg, Faith Leech maintained the lead in the first 50 metres but faded in the second half and finished with a split of 1 minute 5.1 seconds, with the Australian lead cut to 0.9 of a second.

Faith Leech was the first person from Bendigo to win an Olympic medal and was feted upon returning to her hometown.

Faith Leech regarded the experience of living in the Olympic Village as an unusual one; in addition to the large crowds and the pressure of an Olympics, it was the first time that she had been away from the family home.

Faith Leech briefly worked in Melbourne as a model, before returning to Bendigo to help run the family jewellery business.

Faith Leech took a leading role in the business after the death of her father in the 1970s, before handing control of the firm to her son.

Faith Leech married Mitch Tuohy and had two sons, Adam and Troy, whom she discouraged from entering competitive swimming, fearing the pressure and strain of racing.

Faith Leech taught swimming to disabled children, some of whom represented Australia at the Special Olympics.

Faith Leech continued her involvement with the Olympic movement through volunteer work.

In February 2003, Faith Leech phoned quadruple Olympic champion Betty Cuthbert to comfort her during her recovery from a brain hemorrhage.

Faith Leech is an inductee of the Path of Champions at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Faith Leech died at her home on 14 September 2013, aged 72.