Olympic Games gold medal athlete. Although she won three medals (one gold and two bronze) at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, she is best known for being the first woman to swim the English Channel, completing the swim from Cape Griz-Nez, France to Kingsdown, England on August 6, 1926, in 14 hours and 30 minutes, besting the previous record by almost two hours. Previously, she had held the world records in the 880 and 440-yard freestyle swims and had earned three medals in the 1924 Olympics as a member of the United States Women's Swimming team. After her Channel swim, she toured the world for years, giving exhibitions. She staged a spectacular comeback from a 1933 spinal injury to swim at the 1939 World's Fair. She retired in the 1940s after losing most of her hearing from a case of childhood measles. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965. Gertrude Ederle died at age 97 in 2003 and was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York.
Olympic Games gold medal athlete. Although she won three medals (one gold and two bronze) at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, she is best known for being the first woman to swim the English Channel, completing the swim from Cape Griz-Nez, France to Kingsdown, England on August 6, 1926, in 14 hours and 30 minutes, besting the previous record by almost two hours. Previously, she had held the world records in the 880 and 440-yard freestyle swims and had earned three medals in the 1924 Olympics as a member of the United States Women's Swimming team. After her Channel swim, she toured the world for years, giving exhibitions. She staged a spectacular comeback from a 1933 spinal injury to swim at the 1939 World's Fair. She retired in the 1940s after losing most of her hearing from a case of childhood measles. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965. Gertrude Ederle died at age 97 in 2003 and was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York.
Bio by: Stuthehistoryguy
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The First Woman To Swim
The English Channel
Aug. 6, 1926
Gravesite Details
Within yards of the only large CANDLE-shaped stone monument in the cemetery. The "candle" has a green bronze "wick", and three drops of stone "wax" on its side.
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