Swimming
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, in Munich, Gould won three gold medals, setting a world record in each race. She also won a bronze and a silver medal.
She is the only person, male or female, to hold every world freestyle record from 100 m to 1500 m simultaneously, which she did from 12 December 1971 to 4 August 1972. She is also the first female swimmer ever to win three Olympic gold medals in world record time.
At the age of 17, she retired from competitive swimming, citing pressures placed upon her by her success and media profile.
Over two decades later, Gould returned to competitive swimming at Masters level. She set Australian Masters records (40-44 years 100m, 200 m, and 400 m freestyle, and 100 m butterfly) and 45-49 years (50 m butterfly, 100 m and 200 m freestyle). In 2003 she broke the world record for the 45-49 years 200 m individual medley in 2:38.13 (beating the 1961 world record for all ages).
Read more about this topic: Shane Gould
Famous quotes containing the word swimming:
“Loosed betwixt eye and lid, the swimming beams
Of memory, blind school of cuttlefish,
Rise to the air, plunge to the cold streams....”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
“Whenever parents become overly invested in a particular skill or accomplishment, a child’s fear of failure multiplies. This is why some children refuse to get into the pool for a swimming lesson, or turn their back on Daddy’s favorite sport.”
—Cathy Rindner Tempelsman (20th century)