The Tokyo Olympics is drawing to a close. It's October in nineteen sixty four and everyone's in party mode. The Aussies gather at a hotel bar where the celebrations stretch into the early hours of the morning. But one Olympic champion isn't having the best night. Instead of enjoying the party, she's being questioned by police. It's gold medalist Dawn Fraser. Dawn is due to the Australia's flag bearer and the closing ceremony, but first she'll have to avoid jail time. Hey,
I'm Tony Armstrong. Welcome to the poolroom, where we celebrate the winners, losers and the weird stuff between. How did Dawn Fraser, one of Australia's most successful athletes, run into trouble with the law. Well, it turns out Dawn has a bit of a rebellious streak that goes back to her childhood. Dawn Fraser grew up as the youngest of eight children in a working class family. Her older siblings would boss her around a bit and her parents were
very strict. When she had just started competing in the pool at twelve years old, an official said she would never swim for Australia. Dawn hit back immediately, Yes I will, she said. From then on, Dawn Fraser had a reputation for pushing back against authority, and it didn't always gel with her swimming career. At thirteen, Dawn was suspended from swimming for eighteen months after winning an amateur champianship event.
Why Well, officials suspected that Dawn had been paid for competing in a professional youth swimming league, making her ineligible for amateur competitions. When the band was handed down, Dawn thought her swimming ambitions were over. At fifteen years old, she quit school, got a job in a factory, and took up smoking. When she was finally allowed to swim again, Dawn had a decision to make. Did she settle for her new life or dust off that old dream to
be an Olympic champion. Her coach thought this was a no brainer, so they agreed to train her for free for an entire year. Dawn was back in the sport. By nine peen fifty six, Dawn was nineteen, had turned professional and was winning races left, right and center. The one hundred meter freestyle was her specialty. Dawn was ready to test herself against the world's best in the Melbourne Olympics.
She went on to win her first gold medal at the Games, but Dawn didn't exactly leave her rebellious teenage ways behind. Four years later, during the nineteen to sixty Olympics in Rome, Dawn won gold again, but refused to swim butterfly in the relay event, her excuse she'd just eaten lunch. It's fair to say Dawn's teammates were not impressed.
In nineteen sixty four, Dawn was set to represent Australia once again at the Olympics in Tokyo, but she was in trouble once more, this time before the Games had even started. Because her events were taking place over the first few days. Dawn wasn't allowed to march in the opening ceremony so that she was well rested for her race, but in her typical way, Dawn wasn't having it. She walked out with the Australian team anyway, marching proudly in
the front row. When it came time for her qualifying events, Dawn then defied Olympic officials. She chose to wear a swimsuit, which wasn't a prove for competition. This time, her excuse was a bit more reasonable. She said the correct swimsuit didn't fit, but that didn't matter to the officials, and this time Dawn's actions would have real consequences in the pool. At least, Dawn was practically flawless. Tokyo nineteen sixty four
was another huge success. Dawn picked up her fourth Olympic gold and silver medals, and as the games were winding up, Dawn would have the honor of carrying the Australian flag at the closing ceremony. But like the lark and she is, Dawn couldn't resist having some fun first. It was a Friday, the night before the closing ceremony. All the events had come to an end and the athletes were ready to
let their hair down. Normally they have to remain in the Olympic village, but the Australians had been given an exemption. The men's field hockey team had just won their first ever bronze medal and were invited to a hotel in the city to celebrate. They were joined by Dawn and a couple of her friends. A few hours and several drinks later, the team. Doctor comes up with an idea and puts it to Dawn. He says, hey, Fraser, are you interested in getting a flag? He means one of
the many Olympic flags being flown around the city. Of course, I am, Dawn replies, So Dawn to Doctor and one of the hockey players set off to snag themselves a souvenir. By now, it's about one am in the morning. The streets are deserted and quiet. The Aussie trio make their way up a long avenue leading towards the Imperial Palace, a historical fortress surrounded by stone walls, a moat, and
public gardens. It's off limits, of course, but right outside stands several tall poles with Olympic flags flapping invitingly in the early morning breeze. But how to get the flags down? Luckily, Dawn is quite tall, so she and the doctor hoist the hockey player on their shoulders. He just manages to reach the rope and pull down two flags. Then suddenly, loud whistles rang out across the silent street. It's the police.
They've been spotted. The trio make a run for it, hiding in some bushes, but the police managed to snuff them out. They've got no choice but to split up. In her effort to escape, Dawn hurts her ankle and decides to rest on a park bench for a moment. It's all quiet until two police officers finally catch up with her. They ask Dawn what she's up to, and at first she plays dumb. She tells them she's waiting
for some friends, but the police don't buy it. As Dawn stands up, one of the stolen flags falls out of her jacket pocket. The officer sees the flag and arrest Dawn. She's taken to the police station. At the station, an interpreter informs Dawn that she's being charged with stealing the flag, not only that she could face jail time
for the offense. She explains that she's Dawn Fraser, the famous Olympic swimmer, but the police don't believe her, so Dawn calls her friends at the hotel, asking them to bring her id and Olympic medals down to the station. Fortunately for Dawn, the plan works and she's allowed to walk free. The police couldn't quite believe that Dawn would do something like steal a flag, but they didn't know
the real Dawn Fraser. The next day, Dawn is getting her ankle strapped so she can march in the closing ceremony when there's a knock on her hotel room door. It's the police lieutenant and two officers. Dawn invites them in cautiously. A horrible thought crosses her mind. Is she really in trouble? After all? The lieutenant is carrying a large box, which he hands to Dawn. When she opens it up, it's full of flowers and the stolen Olympic flag. What good sports? But not everyone saw the humor in
Dawn's antics. Following the nineteen sixty four Olympics, Dawn Fraser was banned from swimming for ten years for wearing the wrong swimsuit and defying team rules by marching in the opening ceremony. While the band was lifted four years later, it didn't matter to Dawn. She retired soon after the Tokyo Games, and her one hundred meter freestyle record stood for a further eight years. She remains one of Australia's greatest Olympians. You've been listening to the poolroom with me,
Tony Armstrong. Thanks for stopping by. Catch you next time.