In the sound clip Yvette Williams describes her winning jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, along with the two nerve-wracking 'no-jumps' that preceded it. The composite photograph illustrates her achievement. Beneath Williams in flight, a group of school girls marks out the length of her gold-medal-winning jump. The caption notes the imperial measurement equivalent to the 6.24-metre jump. Williams set an Olympic record and was just 1 centimetre short of the world record held by the legendary Dutch athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen.
Transcript
Interviewer: Now was this the first occasion at a first-class meeting that you've had two no-jumps?
Yes.
Interviewer: And what actually happened?
I think perhaps I must have been a little tense and I was just over the board by a fraction of an inch. It was rather unfortunate that I'd gone over to that extent.
Interviewer: And did you shift the board back just a fraction to safeguard yourself did you?
Yes, on the third jump I shifted my pegs back about 4 inches to make certain.
Interviewer: Well it was interesting the whole object of your training and chance of the Olympic title rested on that next jump. What were your feelings when you carried on to start that very vital jump? What crossed your mind?
Well I felt that I had to first of all to strike the board, not go over it again and secondly I had to jump far enough to qualify for another three jumps, to get me into the final.
Interviewer: It was a big thing to do, everything resting on that one jump.
Yes.
Using this item
Reference: 39883
Image from the New Zealand Olympic Committee
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