Irene Joan Davidson (née Hart, 30 August 1925 – 23 September 2006) was a New Zealand sprinter who, as Joan Hart, represented her country at the

1950 British Empire Games The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth staging of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between 4 and 11 February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the third edition of the games. The main venue was ...

Biography

Hart was born on 30 August 1925, the daughter of Frederick Henry Hart, and attended Motumaoho School, near

Morrinsville Morrinsville is a provincial town in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island, with an estimated population of as of The town is located at the northern base of the Pakaroa Range, and on the south-western fringe of the Hauraki Plains. ...

. She showed early promise as a sprinter as a 13-year-old, finishing third in a 100 yards invitational handicap race at Morrinsville in March 1939, behind the Australian,

Decima Norman Clara Decima Hamilton (), MBE (9 September 1909 – 29 August 1983) was an Australian athlete. She was the only Australian woman who won five gold medals at the 1938 British Empire Games. Biography Norman was born on 9 September 1909 in Ta ...

, who equalled the world record, and

Doreen Lumley Doreen Lumley (21 August 1921 – 1 October 1939) was a New Zealand sprinter of the 1930s from Auckland. Doreen Lumley represented New Zealand in the 1938 British Empire Games in the 100 yard and 220 yard events. Doreen and her sister Bernic ...

. In 1940, Hart won the junior girls' athletics championship at Hamilton Technical High School, breaking records for the

triple jump The triple jump, sometimes referred to as the hop, step and jump or the hop, skip and jump, is a track and field event, similar to the long jump. As a group, the two events are referred to as the "horizontal jumps". The competitor runs down th ...

long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a gr ...

and the 100 yards, recording a time of 12 seconds for the latter event. In 1941, she set a school record of 14.2 seconds for the 120 yards, and equalled the senior girls' record of 11.8 seconds for 100 yards. The same year, Hart won three Waikato athletics titles, and was a member of the Auckland women's athletics team that won the New Zealand women's athletics championship. Later in 1941, the Hart family left the Morrinsville district, moving to a farm near

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

. In 1942, Hart recorded a time of 11.6 seconds in winning the girls' senior 100 yards representing Hamilton Technical High at the Waikato Secondary Schools' athletics meet. The following year, she won both the women's 100 yards and 220 yards titles at the Auckland provincial athletics championships. In 1944, Hart won the Auckland provincial 75 years, 100 yards, and 220 yards titles: her time of 8.8 seconds for the 75 yards equalled the New Zealand record set in 1939 by Doreen Lumley, while she recorded 11.4 seconds and 27.4 seconds, respectively, for the 100 yards and 220 yards. At the 1945 Auckland championships, Hart won the 75 yards title in a time of 9.0 seconds, placed second in the 220 yards, and third in the 100 yards. Owing to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the national athletics championships were not held between 1941 and 1944, but in 1945 Hart dominated the women's sprint races, winning the 75 yards, 100 yards, and 220 yards titles, representing Auckland. Her time of 25.8 seconds in the 220 yards was a personal best. The next year, she won the 220 yards championship. At the 1950 New Zealand athletics championships, Hart set a new national record of 24.9 seconds in her heat of the 220 yards. However, the mark was lowered to 24.8 seconds by

Lesley Rowe Lesley Martha Gibson (née Rowe, 21 March 1929 – 5 July 2011) was a New Zealand sprinter who, as Lesley Rowe, won a silver medal representing her country at the 1950 British Empire Games. Early life and family Rowe was born in the Auckland su ...

in the next heat, and in the final heat

Dorothea Parker Mary Dorothea Smith (née Parker; 10 August 1928 – 24 December 1993) was a New Zealand sprinter. At the 1950 British Empire Games she won a silver medal in the 440 yards relay, alongside Shirley Hardman and Lesley Rowe. She also ran in the 100 ...

also ran a time of 24.8 seconds. The final was won by Parker in 24.7 seconds, with Rowe second and Hart third. Hart, Parker and Rowe all represented New Zealand in the women's 220 yards at the

in Auckland. Hart finished third in her heat, recording a time of 25.9 seconds, but was fifth in her semifinal and did not progress further. Hart went on to marry Brian Davidson. In later life, she lived in

Waipukurau Waipukurau is the largest town in the Central Hawke's Bay District on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the banks of the Tukituki River, 7 kilometres south of Waipawa and 50 kilometres southwest of Hastings. H ...

. She died on 23 September 2006, and her body was cremated in

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Joan 1925 births 2006 deaths People from Morrinsville Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand Athletes (track and field) at the 1950 British Empire Games New Zealand female sprinters Sportspeople from Waikato New Zealand Athletics Championships winners