Old Michaelian Olympians

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St Michael’s has a long history of Old Michaelians going on to achieve greatness on the world sporting stage. This year, we had Year 12 student Col competing at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in various swimming events and Tess Coady (OM 2018) has her eyes set firmly on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. To celebrate the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, we pay tribute to those Old Michaelians who have competed in the Games.

Marjorie McQuade

SWIMMING | OLD MICHAELIAN 1950 | HUGHES

Thirteen-year-old student Marjorie McQuade did not take long to rise to Olympic fame, quickly becoming dubbed as “Australia’s Olympic Baby” in the lead up to the 1948 Olympic Games. However, Marjorie was more than a swimmer to her St Michael’s peers – she was a long-standing member of the athletics, basketball and softball teams. Prior to her departure for London, Head Prefect Nance Meldrum presented Marjorie with a special gift on behalf of the School, including a leather writing case with her name stamped on it, a small gold cross, and a “prayer for Athletics”, written and illustrated by fellow student Anne Jolliffe; as well as a photograph album presented by staff. In London, Marjorie swam in the 100 metres freestyle producing solid times, however, did not progress beyond the semi-final. Marjorie recounted her Olympic experience as thrilling with the Opening Ceremony a particular highlight, describing a phrase that was displayed on the scoreboard, reading “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part, for the essential thing in life is not so much conquering as fighting well.” Marjorie went on to secure three gold medals at the 1950 British Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games) in the freestyle, freestyle relay and medley relay. She followed this up with another stellar performance at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, again narrowly missing a place in the final of the 100-metre freestyle. Marjorie’s accomplishments are honoured by the naming of two senior Speech Night Prizes: the Marjorie McQuade Prize for Unobtrusive and Unselfish Service; and the Marjorie McQuade Memorial Trophy for the Best All Round Year 10 Girl at Sport.

1. Marjorie McQuade in her formal 1948 Olympic uniform 2. Pictorial article of Marjorie’s life, in The Australasian Post, 15 July 1948

Faith Leech

SWIMMING | OLD MICHAELIAN 1958 | KILBURN

Not only is Faith our most decorated Old Michaelian with two Olympic medals to her name, her journey to becoming a swimmer was one of many challenges and adversity. As a child, she suffered from digestive and nutritional issues, as well as a double curvature of the back, which led her parents to try her in swimming. By 12 years old her parents were convinced of her potential, renting an apartment in Melbourne so that she could train more often with her coach, and so began her journey at St Michael’s. In her intermediate year, she was selected for the 1956 Olympics and dubbed the ‘flying fish’ due to her 180cm high stature and slim build. Her spinal problems forced her to touch turn rather than flip turn, however this style did not impede her qualifying for the Games faster than Dawn Fraser or Lorraine Crapp. Ongoing digestive illness prevented her from training with the squad in Townsville, and she joined the team when they travelled to Melbourne preceding the Games. Faith was also selected to model the ‘walking-out’ outfit for the Opening Ceremony. Faith made her debut in the 100-metre freestyle event, and her bronze medal rounded out the Australian trifecta with Dawn Fraser and Lorraine Crapp, only separated by 0.8 of a second for gold and silver respectively. Faith’s selection in the following 100-metre freestyle relay was not a given – as the youngest swimmer in the team, many believed it a controversial choice. And while Australia made a poor start, they managed to claw back the lead and secured gold over the USA in a world record time. Faith’s retirement after the 1956 Games did not mean the end of her involvement with swimming or the Olympics – once she completed her schooling in 1957, she returned to her hometown of Bendigo, working in the family business, as well as teaching disabled and paraplegic children to swim and other volunteer work with the Olympic movement. In her honour, Bendigo named its aquatic facility the “Faith Leech Aquatic Centre”, and her Olympic medals reside there today. In 1989, she turned the first sod for the construction of the School’s gymnasium and swimming pool. In 2006, the Trophy for the Best All Round Year 11 Girl at Sport was renamed as the Faith Leech Trophy for the Best All Round Year 11 Girl at Sport, in recognition for her life achievements in swimming.

Pictured: Faith Leech in her walking-out outfit for the Opening Ceremony at the 1956 Olympics, pictured with Sports Mistress Frances Newson who herself played Hockey at an international level, for Australia.

Sean Wroe

ATHLETICS | OLD MICHAELIAN 2003 | BREEN

Sean’s athletic and leadership ability was demonstrated from at the outset during his schooling years – he was awarded Colours for Athletics and Soccer, and in his final year was Co-Vice Captain of Breen House and Co-Captain of Athletics. He led the St Michael's Athletics Team to victory in the Association of Co-educational Schools Athletics Carnival, when the St Michael's Team won the overall boys, girls and combined trophies for the first time. An outstanding 400m track and field sprinter, Sean gained 6th place in the final of the 2004 World Junior Championships. He went on to compete in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, where he was a semi-finalist in the 400m Individual and a Gold Medallist in the 4 x 400m Relay. He qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, placing 21st in the 400m and 6th in the 4 x 400m relay. Sean went onto to compete in multiple Championships and Commonwealth Games, setting a Commonwealth Record in 2010 in the 400 metre. Despite no longer competing at an elite level, Sean’s singlemindedness developed as an athlete has continued to serve him as he pursues a successful career following a Double Degree in Business/Arts (Japanese) at Swinburne University, managing his own finance broking business. Sean commented in a recent interview with Athletics Australia, “When I wake up, going to work doesn’t feel like work for me – it just feels like being an athlete and doing whatever I need to get done to succeed that day. My obsession and my focus that I had as an elite athlete has transferred directly into my life now.”

Elena Galiabovitch

SHOOTING | OLD MICHAELIAN 2007 | HUGHES

Prior to Elena starting at St Michael’s, her family made the harrowing journey around the world, migrating from Russia to Australia in 1994. Elena started at St Michael’s in Grade 6, and almost immediately was recognised as having a brilliant mind. She was a stellar team member in the St Michael’s Grade 6 Mathematical Olympiad for Primary Schools team, achieving a top 10% result. She was also a team member of the Grade 6 Future Problem Solving team, and the only Grade 6 student to receive a High Distinction in the Australian Mathematics Competition. In her senior years, she continued to achieve annual recognition across a variety of subjects, culminating in leadership roles such as Co-Captain of Hughes, Captain of Chess and Prefect. Elena claimed her first international title in 2015 when she won the women’s 25m Pistol event at the Oceania Championships. Elena also found success at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 where she claimed a silver medal in the women’s 25m Pistol and a bronze in the women’s 10m Air Pistol. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Elena competed in the women’s 10m Air Pistol and the 25m Pistol events. In the women’s 10m Air Pistol, Elena finished 27th with 569 points –just eight points off qualifying for the final. Aside from representing Australia in shooting, Elena is a doctor who has been working in a Melbourne hospital and conducting COVID tests at clinics, all while completing her master’s degree to become a urological surgeon.