CQ22-Digital

Unbeknownst to the Swarts, the small Waikato town was a hotbed of
cycling – as the young Jack would soon find out. Interested by the bike
racing that passed by the farm gates, he was embraced by the familyrun
Morrinsville Wheelers and their ‘school hall and tea urn, bring
your number back for a cup of cordial’ racing community.
After a steady start he progressed through the ranks and by 1980
he was a household name in New Zealand. With an Edmonton 1978
Commonwealth Games silver, a win in the prestigious home-based
Dulux stage race, three wins in the Manawatu stage race and two
national road titles under his belt he was a regular choice for the
national squad. Naturally strong, his style of racing was one of riding
at the front and seeing who could stay with him. “I remember Jack
was a big burly bastard,” laughs Phil Anderson, who crossed swords
with Jack during the ’77 Dulux. “He was just a beast. He would be a
good man to be in a breakaway with as he was a hard-working guy. I
was away with him a few times and we’d always try and get something
going.” The then-19-year-old Australian riding his first overseas race
developed throughout the week, pipping Swart to take his first big
win. “Looking back, it was a real stepping stone for me, firstly for riding
in a better-quality field, secondly in preparing me for Europe.”
It was no surprise then when Swart was named for the New Zealand
squad to compete in the 100 km team time trial at the 1982 Brisbane
Commonwealth Games. Cleaning up in the previous year’s Oceania
Games, a ‘shake-out’ event held on the same circuit, the Kiwi team
were not only confident but were also on obvious form going into
the 1982 Games, filling the podium at the tough Australian 226 km
Grafton to Inverell race in the lead-in. But on the day of the 100 km
TTT disaster struck. A slipped chain resulted in the team riding half of
the race missing a rider. Their bronze medal was bitter compensation.
Olympic Dreams
A marked rider on his home course, Jack Swart lined up as favourite
to win the 1983 National Championships. It had been chosen as the
selection race for the ’84 Los Angeles Olympic Games. As he had won
the Waikato regional championships on the same roads just weeks
beforehand things were looking good for Swart.
Watched so closely, Swart was not able to jump across to the early
break on the day. The crucial moment came when he suffered a
puncture. The bunch was quick to accelerate and distance him. To add
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