Doris Strachan Explained

Doris Aikenhead
Birth Name:Doris Louisa Strachan
Birth Date:13 January 1917
Birth Place:Timaru, New Zealand
Spouse:Andrew Aikenhead
Country:New Zealand
Sport:Athletics

Doris Louisa Aikenhead (née Strachan, 13 January 1917 – 12 November 1974) was a New Zealand track and field athlete who represented her country at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Early life and family

Born Doris Louisa Strachan in Timaru on 13 January 1917, Aikenhead was the daughter of Julia McInnes Strachan (née Crisp) and James Dunn Strachan.[1] She went on to marry Andrew Aikenhead.

Athletics

At an athletics meeting at Temuka on 30 November 1935, Strachan broke the New Zealand national women's long jump record, recording a distance of 17feet.[2]

At the trials held in Wellington in December 1937 for the New Zealand team to travel to the 1938 British Empire Games, Strachan's winning distance in the long jump was 17feet,[3] and she was duly selected for the team. At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, she was eliminated in the heats of the women's 100 yards and 220 yards sprints, and finished sixth in the women's long jump with a best leap of 17feet.[4] [5] She was also a member of the New Zealand trio that finished fourth in the women's 440 yards relay.[6]

Death

Aikenhead died on 12 November 1974,[7] and she was buried at Oamaru Lawn Cemetery.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Birth search: registration number 1917/1896 . Births, deaths & marriages online . Department of Internal Affairs .
  2. News: Long jump record . 2 December 1935 . Evening Post . 1 July 2017 . 19.
  3. News: Empire Games: trials in Wellington . 13 December 1937 . New Zealand Herald . 1 July 2017 . 15.
  4. Web site: Doris Strachan . 2016 . New Zealand Olympic Committee . 1 July 2017.
  5. News: Sensational race . 15 February 1938 . New Zealand Herald . 1 July 2017 . 17.
  6. News: Track events . 8 February 1938 . New Zealand Herald . 1 July 2017 . 11.
  7. Web site: Death search: registration number 1974/44818 . Births, deaths & marriages online . Department of Internal Affairs . 1 July 2017.
  8. Web site: Cemetery search . Waitaki District Council . 1 July 2017.