Judy-Joy Davies

Who is Judy-Joy Davies?

Judy-Joy Davies was an Australian backstroke swimmer of the 1940s and 1950s, who won a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. At national level, she won 17 Australian Championships in freestyle, backstroke and medley swimming. She was well known after her swimming career as a long time sporting journalist for the Melbourne newspapers The Argus and The Sun-News Pictorial.

The second World War did not interrupt her competitive swimming career.

At international level, Davies concentrated on the backstroke, winning seven consecutive national titles from 1946 to 1952. She also won the 100yd freestyle in 1947 and the 880yd freestyle the following year. At the 1948 Olympics, Davies set an Olympic record in the heat of the 100m backstroke. However, in the final, she finished behind Denmark's Karen Harup and the United States' Suzanne Zimmerman.

Two years later at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, Davies won three gold medals. She first won the 110 yards backstroke and then teamed up with Denise Spencer, Denise Norton and Marjorie McQuade to win the 4×110 yards freestyle relay. Finally, Davies with McQuade and Nancy Lyons won the 3×110 yards medley relay.