Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics

The Australian Olympic Committee was formed on 1 January 1895 with the nation making their debut at the first Olympics in Athens with Teddy Flack being the first representative of the nation.[1][2] This was the nation's second appearance at an Winter Olympics and the first since 1936. It was also the 13th overall Olympics that Australia had sent a delegation in.[3] The 1952 Winter Olympics was held at Oslo in Norway and took place from the 14 to 25 February: a total of 694 athletes competed from 30 nations.[4] The Australian delegation consist of nine athletes, three in the figure skating and alpine skiing, two in the Cross-country skiing and one in the speedskating.[5]

Australia entered three skiers in the Alpine skiing events with Bob Arnott, Barry Patten competing in their only Olympics while Bill Day competing in his first of three Olympics.[5][6] The first event for the trio was the men's giant slalom which was making its debut at the Olympics. Bill Day finished the best of the Australians as he finished 67th, forty-five seconds behind gold medalists Stein Eriksen from Norway. [7] Arnott and Patten finished 78th and 80th out of the eighty-two that finished the course. The following day, the three Australians competed in the men's downhill which was held at the same venue that had the giant slalom. Bill Day was the leading Australian out of the three entries as he finished 60th, a full minute of the pace from Zeno Colò from Italy who won the gold medal. Patten finished 67th with Arnott finished 71st out of the 72 that finished.[8]

The final event was the men's slalom which took place on February 19. None of the three Australian competitors qualified through to the second round with Day once again being the best performing of the Aussies finishing 54th. Arnott finished in 65th with Patten rounding out the Aussie entries in 76th place.[9]

Australia entered two athletes in the cross-country skiing at the 1952 Olympics with Bruce Haslingden and Cedric Sloane being selected for the nation in what was their only appearance at an Olympics.[10][11] After paying for their own expenses to the games, Haslingden and Sloane competed in two events during the 1952 games.[12]

The first event for the duo was the men's 18 kilometres which was held on 18 February. After being held under excellent snow conditions, Haslingden would finish one place higher than Sloane as they finished in 74th and 75th repressively with Hallgeir Brenden from Norway taking the gold medal in the event.[13] Two days later, the duo competed in the men's 50 kilometres where they wouldn't finish the event as they retired after falling 12 kilometres behind the leaders. Veikko Hakulinen from Finland claimed the gold medal with a time of 3 hours and 33 minutes.[14][15]

Australia entered three figure skaters in the 1952 Games with Adrian Swan, Nancy Burley and Gweneth Molony representing the nation.[5] In the men's singles, Swan who competed in first and only Olympics was initially refused to be entered by the Victorian Skating Association but was later reversed by the International Skating Union justified his spot at the games.[16][17] After completing the compulsory figures in twelfth place,[18] Swan would go on to finish in tenth place with a score of 1,248.2 with Dick Button from the United States taking out the gold medal.[19]

In the ladies' singles, Burley and Molony who both would compete in their only Olympic games was selected on the 14 October 1951 as part of the announcement that happened with the skiing reveal.[6][20] Heading into the Olympics, Molony was the two time defending national ladies' singles champion who had won at the Glaciarium.[21][22] At the event which was held on the 16–17 February (compulsory figures) and 20 February (free skating), Burley would go on to finish the higher of the two Australian ladies finishing in 14th with 1220.7 points. Molony would finish seven spots behind to finish in 21st with 1119.1 points as the gold medal was won by Jeannette Altwegg from Great Britain.[23]

Australia entered three figure skaters in the 1952 Games with Adrian Swan, Nancy Burley and Gweneth Molony representing the nation.[5] In the men's singles, Swan who competed in first and only Olympics was initially refused to be entered by the Victorian Skating Association but was later reversed by the International Skating Union justified his spot at the games.[24][25] After completing the compulsory figures in twelfth place,[26] Swan would go on to finish in tenth place with a score of 1,248.2 with Dick Button from the United States taking out the gold medal.[27]

In the ladies' singles, Burley and Molony who both would compete in their only Olympic games was selected on the 14 October 1951 as part of the announcement that happened with the skiing reveal.[6][28] Heading into the Olympics, Molony was the two time defending national ladies' singles champion who had won at the Glaciarium.[29][30] At the event which was held on the 16–17 February (compulsory figures) and 20 February (free skating), Burley would go on to finish the higher of the two Australian ladies finishing in 14th with 1220.7 points. Molony would finish seven spots behind to finish in 21st with 1119.1 points as the gold medal was won by Jeannette Altwegg from Great Britain.[31]

• Australia at the Winter Olympics

• Australia NOC
• Olympic Winter Institute of Australia
• "Australians at the Olympics: A definitive history" by Gary Lester ISBN 0-949853-05-4
• "The Compendium: Official Australian Olympic Statistics 1896-2002" Australian Olympic Committee ISBN 0-7022-3425-7