Kay McNamee

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameKathleen Mavis "Kay"•McNamee (-Ferguson, -Neale)
Used nameKay•McNamee
Born8 January 1931 in Vancouver, British Columbia (CAN)
Died11 January 2022 in Richmond, British Columbia (CAN)
AffiliationsVancouver Amateur Swim Club, Vancouver (CAN)
NOC Canada

Biography

Inspired by her mother, who was a star swimmer at the University of British Columbia in the 1920s, Kay McNamee took up swimming at a young age, but her career was nearly ended in her teens when she developed a chronic bronchial condition at age 13. She overcame her illness, however, to become one of Canada’s top female swimming stars of the 1940s. She came in second in the 400 yards freestyle event at the Canadian trials for the 1948 London Olympics, behind Vivian King, which led to her selection for the Games. There, she was eliminated in the first rounds of the 100 and 400 metres freestyle competitions, as well as the 4x100 metres freestyle relay, alongside King, Joyce Court, and Irene Strong.

King’s next stop was the 1950 British Empire Games, where she finished fourth in the 4×110 yards freestyle (with Strong and the non-Olympians Catherine Miles and Joan Morgan) and was eliminated in the heats of the 110 yards freestyle. By the time of her selection for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, she held three Canadian national records, and ended up 29th in both the 100 and 400 metres freestyle events and joint-11th in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay alongside Strong, Lenora Fisher, and Gladys Priestley at the Games. She retired from active competition soon thereafter and married fellow Olympian Rich Ferguson in 1955, with whom she had children, including actor John Pyper-Ferguson. Her brother Gerry also represented Canada at the Helsinki Olympics in swimming.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1948 Summer Olympics Swimming (Aquatics) CAN Kay McNamee
100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) 5 h4 r1/3
400 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) 6 h1 r1/3
4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) Canada 6 h1 r1/2
1952 Summer Olympics Swimming (Aquatics) CAN Kay McNamee
100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) 29
400 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) 29
4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) Canada =11

Olympic family relations

Special Notes