Gwen Rix
{{short description|New Zealand diver}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Gwen Squire
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Gwen Rix 1938 (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Rix in 1938
| headercolor =
| textcolor =
| birth_name = Alma Gwen Rix
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|04|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|04|30|1918|04|01|df=y}}
| death_place =
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| spouse = {{marriage|Arthur William Squire|1945|1988|end=d.}}
| module =
| country = New Zealand
| sport = Diving
| module2 =
| nationals = Diving champion (1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941)
| olympics =
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}}
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.
Early life and family
Born Alma Gwen Rix, Squire was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 1 April 1918,{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths |title=Death search: registration number 2000/9374 |date= |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |accessdate=13 August 2017}} the daughter of Edwin Montague Rix and Ella Mable Rix (née Miller). Her father, a tramway motorman, died in 1925.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19250915.2.63 | title=A tragic death: motorman's sudden demise | date=15 September 1925 | work=Otago Daily Times | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=7}} She was educated at King Edward Technical College, where she was an accomplished netball player.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19340724.2.138 | title=Annual tourney | date=24 July 1934 | work=The Press | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=17}} On 26 December 1945, she married Arthur William Squire in Christchurch.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19451226.2.4 | title=News for women | date=26 December 1945 | work=The Press | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=2}}
Swimming and diving
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.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19310126.2.111 | title=Swimming: junior and intermediate championships | date=26 January 1931 | work=The Press | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=13}} The following year, she was second in the breaststroke at the national junior championships.{{cite news | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/237422170/25565440 | title=Empians from New Zealand | date=25 January 1938 | work=The Labor Daily | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=3}}
Rix began diving in 1934 and benefitted from coaching by Australian Harry Tickle when he toured New Zealand that same year.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DUNST19350107.2.9 | title=Topical tattle: newsy news on sport | date=7 January 1935 | work=Dunstan Times | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=3}} At the 1935 national championships, Rix was second in the women's diving.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DUNST19350415.2.48 | title=Topical tattle: newsy news on sport | date=15 April 1935 | work=Dunstan Times | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=6}}{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19371218.2.138.2 | title=Opinion in Auckland | date=18 December 1937 | work=New Zealand Herald | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=15}} 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.{{cite book |editor-last=McLintock |editor-first=A.H. |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock |title=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand | chapter=Swimming – national championships |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/swimming-national-championships |accessdate=13 August 2017 |year=1966 |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |location=Wellington}}
Considered unlucky by some not to have been selected for the 1936 Olympics,{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19360328.2.169 | title=Swimming | date=28 March 1936 | work=Evening Post | accessdate=13 August 2017 | page=24}} Rix competed for New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, where she finished sixth in the women's 3 m springboard.{{cite web |url=https://olympic.org.nz/athletes/gwen-rix |title=Gwen Rix |year=2016 |website= |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |access-date=13 April 2017}}
Death
Squire died on 30 April 2000, and her ashes were buried at the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Christchurch.{{cite web |url=https://billiongraves.com/grave/Alma-Gwen-Squire/11045036 |title=Alma Gwen Squire |date= |website=BillionGraves |publisher= |accessdate=13 August 2017}} Her husband had predeceased her in 1988.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1938 New Zealand British Empire Games team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rix, Gwen}}
Category:Sportspeople from Dunedin
Category:People educated at King Edward Technical College
Category:New Zealand female divers
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand