Esme Harris (20 October 1932 – 9 June 2023) was a British diver. She competed in the women's 3 metre springboard event at the 1948 Summer Olympics^[1] and was the youngest British Olympian that year at the age of fifteen.^[2] After marrying, she became known as Esme Gibb.^[2]

Harris grew up in Oxford, and started diving from the age of six, with her father Evan Harris as her coach.^[2] She trained at Temple Cowley Pools daily after school.^[2] She first started competing as a freestyle swimmer,^[3] and also did gymnastics.^[2] At the age of 13, she tied for first place in the junior 100 yard swim race, in a dead heat during the 1946 Oxford County Championships.^[3]

Harris became the senior Oxford County springboard diving champion in 1947.^[3] In July of that year, she also entered the national Women's Springboard Championship at St. Leonards, and placed last.^[4] According to the Daily Mirror, Harris '"failed badly on two of her dives", causing the crowds to "[raise] their eyebrows" and groan in disappointment.^[4] Afterwards, upon learning that Harris was only 14 years old and had decided to "have a go" at the senior competition because there was no competition at the junior level, "she got a special cheer all to herself" and was lifted up high by a group of male divers to celebrate her attempt.^[4]

The year before the Olympics, she traveled from Oxford to London on Saturdays to train with Millie Hudson and competed as part of the Hammersmith Ladies Swimming Club.^[5][6]

In July 1948, she placed first in the women's indoor springboard diving trials in Blackpool,^[5][3] securing her place on the British Olympic diving team just one month before the start of the Olympic Games in London.^[2] Harris placed 13th in the women's springboard competition at the Olympics.^[3] Only 15 years old, Esme Harris received extensive media coverage both nationally and internationally.^[6][7]

A French coach, Andrew Henry Caza, said of her performance at the 1948 Olympics, "Esme Harris is a real prospect for 1952. She is well-trained to get good height on her take-offs, and has steady balance and timing. She needs now to work on neater entries, with a better foot stretch, but she is very young and will gain this with experience."^[6]

In 1953, she married Jack Gibb, who was also a diver and gymnast.^[3] As an adult, she worked at Pressed Steel and at several schools as a dinner lady.^[2] As of 2012, she had six grandchildren.^[2] She died in Oxford on 9 June 2023, at the age of 90.^[3]

• Esme Harris at Olympedia