Derek Laverty
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (Northern Irish) |
| Born | 6 May 1931 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 3 October 2004 (aged 73) Vancouver, Canada |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
Event | Freestyle |
| Club | Wellington SC, Belfast Ocean Falls SC |
George Derek Laverty (6 May 1931 – 3 October 2004 ) was a swimmer from Northern Ireland, who represented Northern Ireland at the British Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games).
Biography
Laverty was a member of the Wellington Swimming Club of Belfast[1] and in 1951 was runner-up in the Irish 1500 metres championships.[2]
He also competed in water polo and in March 1952 emigrated to Canada.[3] Specialising in the Freestyle he joined the Ocean Falls SC in British Columbia[4] and later broke the quarter-mile Canadian record in July 1954.[5]
He represented the 1954 Northern Irish Team[6] at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada,[7] participating in the 440 yards freestyle event[8] and the 1650 yards freestyle event[9]
After the games the Northern Ireland team were given a civic reception by the Lord and Mayor and Lady Mayoress at the Belfast City Hall but Laverty was unable attend due to being based in Canada.[10] He married Mary Hunter in Vancouver on 25 October 1957.[11]
References
- ^ "Swimming". Northern Whig. 26 July 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Derek Laverty's chance to win". Northern Whig. 7 July 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "To U.S. and marriage". Ireland's Saturday Night. 2 February 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Lavertt's title". Ireland's Saturday Night. 21 March 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Off-to battle for Ulster in Vancouver". Belfast Telegraph. 19 July 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Vancouver 1954". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ "Ulster team off to Canad". Belfast News-Letter. 20 July 1954. p. 7. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Swimming 440 Yard Freestyle - Men Vancouver 1954". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Swimming 1650 Yard Freestyle - Men Vancouver 1954". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Ulster Athletes Entertained". Belfast News-Letter. 4 September 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Vancouver Wedding, Lavery - Hunter". Belfast News-Letter. 5 November 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.