South Africa at the 1956 Summer Olympics

The Union of South Africa competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. 50 competitors, 44 men and 6 women, took part in 50 events in 10 sports.

Bronze

 * Daniel Bekker &mdash; Boxing, Men's Heavyweight
 * Henry Loubscher &mdash; Boxing, Men's Light Welterweight
 * Alfred Swift &mdash; Cycling, Men's 1.000m Time Trial
 * Moira Abernethy, Jeanette Myburgh, Natalie Myburgh and Susan Roberts &mdash; Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay

Athletics
Men's 110m Hurdles
 * Danie Burger
 * Heat — 14.4s
 * Semifinals — 15.0s (→ did not advance)

Men's Marathon
 * Mercer Davis &mdash; 2:39:48 (→ 14th place)
 * Jan Barnard &mdash; did not finish (→ no ranking)

Men's Discus Throw
 * Fanie du Plessis
 * Qualifying Heat — 50.69
 * Final — 48.49 (→ 13th place)

Cycling

 * Sprint
 * Thomas Shardelow &mdash; 8th place


 * Time trial
 * Alfred Swift &mdash; 1:11.6 (→ [[Image:Med 3.png]] Bronze Medal)


 * Tandem
 * Raymond Robinson Thomas Shardelow &mdash; 7th place


 * Team pursuit
 * Alfred Swift Anne Jan Hettema Charles Jonker Robert Fowler &mdash; 4:39.4 (→ 4th place)


 * Individual road race
 * Alfred Swift &mdash; did not finish (→ no ranking)
 * Robert Fowler &mdash; did not finish (→ no ranking)
 * Anne Jan Hettema &mdash; did not finish (→ no ranking)
 * Charles Jonker &mdash; did not finish (→ no ranking)

Modern pentathlon
Three male pentathletes represented South Africa in 1956.


 * Individual
 * Okkie van Greunen
 * Harry Schmidt
 * Marthinus du Plessis


 * Team
 * Okkie van Greunen
 * Harry Schmidt
 * Marthinus du Plessis

Shooting
Two shooters represented South Africa in 1956.


 * 50 m rifle, three positions
 * Robin Lavine


 * 50 m rifle, prone
 * Johannes Human
 * Robin Lavine