Joan Margaret Monahan (née Hastings, 27 February 1925 – 6 April 2004) was a New Zealand

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, botanist and school teacher. Born in 1925, Hastings was educated at

Auckland Girls' Grammar School "Through trials to triumph" , colours = gold, navy blue , type = State single-sex girls' secondary school (Years 9–13) , established = 1878 , address = Howe Street, Newton, Auckland , coordinates = , principal = Ngaire Ashmore ...

and

Auckland University College , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

, from where she graduated

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

with first-class honours in 1950. Her thesis was titled ''A fungal disease of Meryta sinclairii''. 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 ...

she won the silver medal as part of the women's 440 yard freestyle relay. Her teammates in the relay were Norma Bridson,

Winifred Griffin Winifred Clare "Winkie" Ashby (née Griffin, 17 November 1932 – 11 December 2018) was a New Zealand freestyle swimmer. At the 1950 British Empire Games she won the silver medal as part of the 4 x 110 yards freestyle relay. She was also a memb ...

and Kristin Jacobi. She worked as a botanist at the Forest Research Institute, and later returned to teach at Auckland Girls' Grammar School. She retired as head of science there in 1979. In her later years, Hastings was active in

Masters swimming Masters swimming is a special class of competitive swimming (sport), swimming for swimmers 25 years and older. Premasters is normally included as well, from 18 years old (Canada, United States and Australia) or 20 years old (Europe). In Canada ...

, and broke several world Masters records, including the 1500 m world record for the 60–64 years category in 1987, and numerous New Zealand Masters records.

References

1925 births 2004 deaths People educated at Auckland Girls' Grammar School University of Auckland alumni 20th-century New Zealand botanists New Zealand schoolteachers New Zealand female swimmers Swimmers at the 1950 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming Swimmers from Auckland New Zealand women botanists 20th-century New Zealand women scientists Medallists at the 1950 British Empire Games {{NewZealand-swimming-bio-stub