Denise O'Brien

Denise Antonia O'Brien after marriage Wild (25 July 1937 – 26 September 2024) was an Australian fencer.

FullnameDenise Antonia O'Brien

Born25 July 1937

Died26 September 2024 (aged 87)

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Denise O'Brien
Personal information
Full name	Denise Antonia O'Brien
Born	(1937-07-25)25 July 1937
Died	26 September 2024(2024-09-26) (aged 87)
Sport
Sport	Fencing

O'Brien was together with Barbara McCreath the earliest Australian female pioneers in women's fencing.^[1]

She competed in the women's individual foil event at the 1956 Summer Olympics.^[2]^[3]

With some government resources she also competed at the fencing competitions at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.^[4] She finished sixth in the foil event.

She married Canadian basketball player Ed Wild.^[5] Wild died on 26 September 2024, at the age of 87.^[6]

References

[1]
C G. AUSTIN (25 June 1959). "ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SPORT AND RECREATION IN QUEENSLAND" (PDF). p. 293. Retrieved 8 October 2025. Fencing has only been prominent as a women's sport since 1948, but this State has had Olympic repre- sentatives. Denise O'Brien and Barbara McCreath represented Australia at the Olympic Games in 1956, and at the British Empire Games at Cardiff in 1958, where Barbara McCreath won a silver medal.
[2]
"Denise O'Brien Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
[3]
"Denise Wild". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
[4]
"Queensland | Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] | Legislative Assembly | TUESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 1958" (PDF). 28 October 1958. ...there were three others, two girls and a man, all fencers, who had been accepted as competitors on behalf of the Commonwealth provided they found their own way to Wales. These three freelances-l described them thus for want of a better name-were Miss Denise 0 'Brien, and Miss Barbara McCreagh, who was the Australian women's champion, and Chris Drake, four times holder of the Queensland title... ... I was approached by the hon. member for Nundah, Mr. Knox, M.L.A., who advised me that there was a local committee looking after the appeal for Miss Barbara McCreath, and it was felt that that committee would raise enough to send her to Wales. He also gave me to understand that there was a similar committee behind Miss Denise 0 'Brien, and that the only one we had to worry about was Chris Drake... ...At that meeting it was decided that each of the three committees, one for Barbara McCreath one for Denise 0 'Brien and one for Chris Drake, could raise a certain specified sum which was considered to be adequate for the needs in each particular case... ...In the case of Miss 0 'Brien, a lesser amount was approved because it was thought that she had some cash resources of her own and would be going by sea in any case.
[5]
Denise O'Brien
[6]
"Denise Wild Obituary". Legacy.com. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.

References

External links

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