| Gwen Squire | |
| Birth Name: | Alma Gwen Rix |
| Birth Date: | 1 April 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Sport: | Diving |
| Nationals: | Diving champion (1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941) |
Alma Gwen Squire (née Rix, 1 April 1918 − 30 April 2000) was a New Zealand diver, who represented her country at the 1938 British Empire Games.
Born Alma Gwen Rix, Squire was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 1 April 1918,[1] the daughter of Edwin Montague Rix and Ella Mable Rix (née Miller). Her father, a tramway motorman, died in 1925.[2] She was educated at King Edward Technical College, where she was an accomplished netball player.[3] On 26 December 1945, she married Arthur William Squire in Christchurch.[4]
Beginning her aquatic career as a swimmer, Rix competed at the 1931 junior amateur swimming championships in the 50 yards and 100 yards freestyle events.[5] The following year, she was second in the breaststroke at the national junior championships.[6]
Rix began diving in 1934 and benefitted from coaching by Australian Harry Tickle when he toured New Zealand that same year.[6] [7] At the 1935 national championships, Rix was second in the women's diving.[8] [9] She went on to win the New Zealand national diving championship every year from 1936 to 1941, apart from 1937, when the event was not held.[10]
Considered unlucky by some not to have been selected for the 1936 Olympics,[11] Rix competed for New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, where she finished sixth in the women's 3 m springboard.[12]
Squire died on 30 April 2000, and her ashes were buried at the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Christchurch.[13] Her husband had predeceased her in 1988.[13]