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Fraser reflects on Tokyo Olympics 50 years later

By WTOP Staff

JIM ARMSTRONG
AP Sports Writer

TOKYO (AP) — While in Tokyo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Olympics, Dawn Fraser recalled how the first games in Asia helped her overcome a personal tragedy.

The Australian swimming great won the 100-meter freestyle at a third consecutive Olympics, but only after overcoming serious injury from a car crash which claimed the life of her mother that same year. She spent nine weeks in a steel brace but recovered to swim an Olympic record in the final.

“The 1964 Olympics provided beautiful memories for me,” the 77-year-old Fraser said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I was having a pretty hard time coming up to the Tokyo Games, I had a car accident, my mother had been killed, and I was the driver at the time.

“Without the help of my teammates, I don’t think I would have made it, but they were very good and supported me. Then, when we got to Tokyo it was like another world, it was magnificent, the Japanese people treated us so well, and made us feel right at home.”

Fraser is in Tokyo this week with her daughter, her grandson, and 15 members of the 1964 Australia Olympic team.

The 1964 Games were a symbol of Japan’s recovery from World War II. Tokyo was awarded the 1940 Games, but they were passed to Helsinki because of Japan’s invasion of China, before ultimately being canceled because of World War II.

Fraser recalled the unique mood in Japan at the time of the ’64 Games.

“The atmosphere was ‘OK, let’s forget the wars we’ve had, the Pacific wars,'” Fraser said. “The mood was, ‘Here we are now in a country that is opening up to the whole world,’ and the Japanese wanted to show the world that they could put on a good show and they certainly did.”

Fraser added to the show by becoming the first woman to break one minute for the 100 meters.

Her achievements in the pool were partly overshadowed when she was apprehended by Japanese police for attempting to pinch a flag to keep as a souvenir following a party on the last day of the games. When the authorities realized they took an Olympic gold medalist into custody, Fraser was released.

“The next morning, the police brought a big box of flowers to my room and gave me the flag,” Fraser said.

However, Australian Swimming Union officials banned Fraser for 10 years, a punishment which was later reduced to four years.

Tokyo will host the Olympics again in six years, and Fraser said she was looking forward to attending.

“Tokyo will put on a fantastic show for 2020,” she said, “and I hope I’m alive to see it.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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