Catherine Gibson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Catherine Gibson

Gibson in 1946
Personal information
Nickname(s)	"Cathie"
Born	(1931-03-21)21 March 1931 Motherwell, Scotland
Died	25 June 2013(2013-06-25) (aged 82) Kirkcaldy
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, backstroke
Medal record Representing  United Kingdom Olympic Games Bronze 1948 London 400 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Silver 1947 Monte Carlo 100 m backstroke Silver 1947 Monte Carlo 400 m freestyle Bronze 1947 Monte Carlo 4×100 m freestyle

Catherine Gibson (born March 21, 1931 – died June 25, 2013) was a talented Scottish swimmer. She was also known by her married name, Catherine Brown. During her amazing 16-year career, she won three medals at the European Championships. She also earned a bronze medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. This was the only swimming medal for Britain at those home Games. In 2008, Catherine was honored by being added to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.

Cathie's Early Life

Catherine, often called "Cathie," grew up in Motherwell, Scotland. Her dad, James Gibson, worked at the town's swimming pool. Her two brothers played water polo, so Cathie also learned to swim from a young age. She once said in 2008, "I always had a love of the water." In 1942, she won a prize in a girls' swimming competition.

Becoming an Olympic Swimmer

In 1947, when Cathie was just 16, she joined the British swimming team. They competed at the European Championships. Cathie won two silver medals: one in the 400-meter freestyle and another in the 100-meter backstroke. She also helped her team win a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle relay race.

With the Olympics coming up the next year, Cathie trained very hard. She practiced for eight hours every day. Even though her family didn't have much money, she kept training. She also worked full-time as a clerk to help out. She won important national titles in 1947 and 1948. These included the ASA National Championship for 220 yards and 440 yards freestyle.

The 1948 London Olympics

Four months after her seventeenth birthday, Cathie traveled to London for the Olympics. Her family couldn't afford to go with her. She competed in several events, including the 100-meter backstroke and the 400-meter freestyle. In the 400-meter freestyle, she won a bronze medal. Her time was 5 minutes and 22.5 seconds.

A reporter from The Guardian newspaper wrote about her race. They said that Cathie was near the back for most of the race. But then, "she did not begin to come up until 300 metres had been swum. Then how she went!"

Cathie later shared that she felt she might have done even better. She wished her father could have been there to cheer her on at the Wembley Empire Pool. Her bronze medal was the only one Britain won in swimming at the 1948 Olympics. She was also the only British woman to win a swimming medal. To celebrate her success, a wax figure of her was made for Madame Tussauds.

Cathie kept swimming competitively into the 1950s. Over her 16 years in the sport, she set 29 UK records!

Life After the Olympics

In 2008, Catherine Gibson Brown was honored again. She was added to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. As the 2012 Summer Olympics in London got closer, people remembered the 1948 Games. Catherine, along with other older athletes, shared their memories. She gave advice to the 2012 athletes: "You must love doing it, train very hard."

During the London 2012 Olympic Games, Catherine saw a special portrait of herself. The artist Kristina Macaulay painted it in 2006. It was made to celebrate local talent in North Lanarkshire. A picture of the painting was shown in one of the UK's largest outdoor art galleries.

Personal Life

After getting married, Catherine Gibson stopped competing. She became a hotel owner. Her second husband passed away in 1995, and she remained a widow. Catherine Gibson Brown died in 2013 at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. She was 82 years old.

See also

• Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)