DIES AFTER WIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 11

DIES AFTER WIN.

GIRL DIVER'S FATE. COLLAPSE UNDER ANAESTHETIC. SYDNEY, March 14. After winning a diving competition at Blackheath, Patricia Gunning (12), of Kurraba Road. North Sydney, died two days later at Katoomba., Told she had appendicitis, Patricia pleaded with her father to let her compete in the championship. She died under the anaesthetic at Anzac Memorial Hospital. A postmortem revealed death was caused by iheart trouble. "I agreed to let her dive," said Mr. Gunning, "but forbade her to swim. "My wife and I went with her to Blackheath, and saw her win the diving event. "She was tremendously proud, and suffered no ill effects. "She told me before she went under the anaesthetic that she had felt no pain until the previous day. She was then in good spirits. "A doctor told me later that affer the appendix was removed there seemed to be nothing to fear." Less than 4ft high, Patricia had been a competitive diver for years, and wis ■one of the State's leading divers. I "Her first public appearance was at Bathurst, at the age of four. ! "There she won her first prize—a threepenny lolly," said her father, an jold swimming coach.