Daphne Robb-Hasenjäger

Daphne Robb was South Africa’s premiere sprinter in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and often had to compete against men in order to train and encounter a fair challenge. She first gained international attention in the leadup to the 1948 London Olympics, when she tied the South African national record of 11 seconds in the women’s 100 yard dash. At the Games, she was eliminated in the semifinals of the 100 metres and placed sixth in the 200 metres. The following year, she ran the 100 yards in 10.7 seconds, which would have been a world record by 1/10th of a second, but it was not recognized due to wind assistance. She also set a national record in the 220 yards of 24.7 seconds.

In the 1950s, Robb’s achievements began to better match her talents, and she won a bronze medal in the 220 yards at the 1950 British Empire Games, behind Marjorie Jackson and Shirley Strickland de la Hunty, both of Australia. She was also eliminated in the heats of the 100 yards. At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, now having married a fellow athlete and become Daphne Hasenjäger, she bested Strickland and came second to Jackson in the 100 metres, earning a silver medal. She also repeated her sixth-place performance in the 200 metres. Hasenjäger retired from active competition shortly after the Games and a street in Windhoek, Namibia, was later named in her honor.

Personal Best: 100 – 11.8 (1952); 200 – 24.2y (1952).