Olympic Year 1956
(c) Maitre d’Armes Michael A. O’Brien. Use only with permission.Olympic Year 1956 was the commencemt of 32 years coaching in Victoria by Michael A. O’Brien.
Maitre d'Armes Michael A. O'Brien
Engaged to coach by: Julius Pollack (Melbourne Fencing Club), Harry Sommerville (Salle Fluret), Andy Szakall (VRI Fencing Club), Hans Steinacher (Swiss Club), Cynthia Letts (Excalibar Club) and The Coach’s Own Club (Sala Bella Vista)
L-R: Michael Sichel vs. Eric Crawford
L-R: Sommerville vs. Sichel. Tom Cross (President)
Injuries, Regular, Catastrophic but never serious
Joanna Winter vs. Jill Glanville, Judges Denise O'Brien (Left), Michael Sichel (Right)
L-R: Michael O'Brien, Joanna Winter, Helen Seal, Heather Allen, Loraine Hanger, Loraine Skinner, Jill Glanville, Sonya Allen, Annette Igulden
L-R: Denise O'Brien and Fencer from Hungary
L-R: Nori Minz (NSW), Barbara McCreath
Barbara McCreath Victor over Denise O'Brien (Left), Foreground: Winter Family. (All fencers and spectators from Salla Bella Vista Club)
L-R: Tom Cross, Denise O'Brien, Joanna Winter
L-R: Denise O'Brien, Kate Baxter
Barbara McCreath (Left)
L-R: Denise O'Brien, Joanna Winter (Training)
L-R: Barbara McCreath, Joanna Winter
L-R: Joy Hardon, Joanna Winter
Barbara McCreath (Left), Ruth Barnes (Right) and Andy Szakall (Presiding)
Barbara McCreath unimpressed with president
Vist by Swiss Club to Roberston House Residents of QLD SBV Members
David McKenzie vs. Michael Sichel
Local Competition Crawford v Cross
L-R: David McKenzie, Brian McCowage, Kate Baxter, Ivan Lund, Keith Hackshall
Denise O'Brien and Coach Michael O'Brien Training for 1956 Olympics
Geroge Foenander (Regular Australian Foil Finalist) Training with his Coach O'Brien
L-R Back: Tom Cross, Rod Steel, David McKenzie, Michael Sichel, Ray Buckingham. L-R Front: Denise O'Brien, Coach Mtr. O'Brien, H. Hardon, Lois Joseph
St. Kilda Town Hall
Christian D'Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D'Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D'Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Christian D'Oriola fencing Raymond Paul
Four Gold Medallists from Hungary. Left-Right. Gerevich, Kovacs, Karpati, with Manager Piller, 1932 Champion.
Cohen ( U.S.A.) and Kouznetsov ( U.S.S.R.) in the Sabre Team Event.
Mr. Guiseppe Mazzini presents the Medals in the foil teams event.
The Australian Epee Team after its first win. Left- Lund, Hackshall, Van Dijk, and Wolfensohn.
Rylskii (U.S.S.R.) congratulates Gerevich (Hungary) at the sabre teams Victory Ceremony.
The French Sabre Team. From left- Gamot, Lefevre, Morel, Roulot.
Bukantz (U.S.A), left, and Mc Cowage (Australia) during foil team event.
The Italian Team after receiving their foil medals.
In the first round of the epee teams, Lund (Australia) meets Delfino (Italy).
The Italian team their captain after winning the epee teams event.
Pew (U.S.A), Left, and Pavesi (Italy), during their epee bout. Pavesi won the Gold Medal and Pew was equal fourth.
Silver Medallist, Delfino, left, and Carleson of Sweden.
Karpati and Pawlowski, sabre Gold and Silver Medallists.
The three Sabre Medallists. From left- Pawlowski, Karpati, and Kouznetsov.
Kate Delbarre (France), left, competing against Olga Orban (Rumania) in the ladies foil. Orban won Silver Medal.
Gold Medallist, Gillian Sheen, competes against Renee Garilhe (right), winner of the Bronze Medal.
amazing pictures….. david McCowage
Truly fabulous images. Most fencing in Australia remains unseen by the general public. !956 was a seminal moment for fencing in Australia.
Thanks Anthony for your interest Did you fence or compete in those years
Michael,
No I’m a bit too young for that…I’m only 50. However, Harry Somerville was my principal coach, also John Humphreys and John Feathers. It’s rare to see photographs of these people all in one place. Particularly of Olympic competition.
This brings back great memories for me and my time with The Salle Bella Vista and Mike O’Brien.
Great to hear from you Jill I will always remember my pupils who gave me so much pleasure to coach You could have been a really top class fencer and enjoyed the same success as Joh and Val . and competed at the olympics No doubt you would have been successful in any vocation .Take care Mike O.Brien
Fantastic collection. Amazing locations around Melbourne too. Other than MTH, I suspect a lot of the architecture in the background no longer exists.
Where is the shot of “Denise O’Brien and Coach Michael O’Brien Training for 1956 Olympics” taken? Enjoyed the short time that I learned to fence (1968-1969). Cannot remember my coach’s name now, but Harry S sounds familiar.
Hello to all from 1956 Olympics and to present – would anyone have any information – contact details, or photos on JOHN SIMPSON – FENCER from around 1956 (he fenced in 1956 Olympics). JOHN SIMPSON is my Uncle and I am trying to locate / make contact with his family / relatives in Australia OR possibly UK. Many thanks – Jennifer Simpson.