National Selection
In August 1955, Leech set an Australian record of 1 min 5.0 s for the 110 yd freestyle, before lowering it to 1 min 4.8 s in October; this prompted newspapers to trumpet her as a prospect for the Melbourne Olympics. She did not get an opportunity to defend her Australian title in 1956 because she was hospitalised with illness. Leech recovered in time to win the national age title in the 100 m freestyle in a time of 1 min 4.6 s, just 0.1 s outside Dawn Fraser's world record. She then posted a time of 1 min 4.6 s to defeat Fraser and Lorraine Crapp at another meeting in the following month.
Leech was named in the Olympic squad and the Australian Swimming Union exempted her from travelling to the national training camp in Townsville so she could train with Froelich, who understood her special dietary requirements. She joined the squad for the final race trials in Melbourne in October before the Olympics. Fraser and Crapp were too strong in the 100 m, with Leech finishing second and third in the two races. After combining with Fraser, Crapp and Margaret Gibson to break the world record for the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, Leech was selected as one of Australia's three entrants in the 100 m freestyle entrants and one of six swimmers for the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay squad for the Olympics.
Read more about this topic: Faith Leech
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