Greta Andersen facts for kids
Andersen in 1951
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | 1 May 1927 Copenhagen, Denmark |
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| Died | 6 February 2023 (aged 95) Solvang, California, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 8.5 in (1.740 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 141 lb (64 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Coach | Else Jacobsen, Ingeborg Paul Petersen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Greta Marie Andersen (born May 1, 1927 – died February 6, 2023) was an amazing swimmer from Denmark. She won a gold and a silver medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. Later, she moved to the United States and became famous for her incredible long-distance swimming. She even set world records in marathon swims up to 50 miles!
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Greta Andersen's Early Life
Greta Andersen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 1, 1927. Her parents were Mourits Peter Andersen and Charlotte Emerentze Benedikte Nielsen.
Greta Andersen's Swimming Career
Greta started swimming in a club when she was 16 years old. She also enjoyed gymnastics.
First International Competitions
In 1947, Greta competed in her first big international event. She won two medals at the European Championships. The next year, she went to the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.
Olympic Success and Challenges
At the 1948 Olympics, Greta won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race. She also earned a silver medal in the 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay.
During the 400-meter freestyle race, something unexpected happened. Greta had severe stomach cramps. She fainted in the water. Luckily, other swimmers, Nancy Lees and Elemér Szathmáry, helped rescue her. Greta later said a medical issue caused her legs to feel paralyzed, leading to her fainting.
Setting World Records
In 1949, Greta set a new world record. She swam the 100-yard freestyle in just 58.2 seconds. This record stood for seven years!
She competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics as well. However, she had recently had knee surgery. This made it hard for her to use one leg properly. She didn't win any medals at these Games. Her best finish was fourth place in the 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay.
During her time in Europe, Greta won many awards. She earned nine individual Danish swimming titles. She also won several team titles and four individual Scandinavian titles.
Marathon Swimming in the U.S.
In 1953, Greta moved to Long Beach, California, in the United States. She became an American citizen in 1959. In the U.S., she started focusing on marathon swimming. This means swimming very long distances.
She made history in 1958. Greta became the first person to swim the Santa Catalina Channel both ways. This is a huge achievement! She also set world records for swimming 10, 25, and even 50 miles.
Between 1957 and 1965, Greta crossed the English Channel six times. This set a new record for the most Channel swims by a woman. In 1958, she also set a speed record for women, crossing in 10 hours and 59 minutes. She even tried to swim the Channel forth and back in 1964. She swam for 23 hours, setting an unofficial record for the longest Channel swim attempt.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 1969, Greta Andersen was honored for her amazing career. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF). In 2015, ISHOF gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognized all her incredible contributions to swimming.
Greta Andersen's Personal Life
After her swimming career, Greta continued to share her love for the water. In 1957, she married John Sonnichsen in Long Beach. Together, they opened a swimming school in Los Alamitos in 1960. The school taught many people to swim until it closed in 1980.
Greta was a pioneer in teaching baby swimming. Even after her school closed, she kept working as a swimming instructor. She loved helping others learn to swim.
Greta Andersen passed away at her home in Solvang, California, on February 6, 2023. She was 95 years old.
See also
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
