Susie Maroney facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 November 1974 Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia |
| Height | 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 in) (2009) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
Susan Jean Maroney (born 15 November 1974) is a famous Australian former marathon swimmer. She is known for her incredible long-distance swims across oceans.
In 1997, when she was 22, Susie made history. She was the first woman and second person ever to swim the 180 km (110 mi) Florida Straits. This tough swim goes from Cuba to the United States. She did it safely inside a special shark cage. A year later, in 1998, she swam a record 197 km (122 mi) from Mexico to Cuba. This was the longest distance at that time swum without flippers in the open sea.
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Susie's Early Life
Susan Jean Maroney was born on 15 November 1974. When she was born, she had a condition called cerebral palsy. This affects how the body moves. She kept this a secret for many years. In 2007, she and her mum, Pauline, shared her story on a TV show.
Susie started swimming when she was only four years old. By the time she was seven, she was already competing in swimming events. At first, she only did short races. But after she turned 13, she realised she was good at long swims. She decided to focus on her swimming career.
Her Amazing Swimming Career
Susie Maroney became well-known as a long-distance swimmer in 1989. She was only 14 years old. That year, she came third in the Australian Marathon Swimming Championship for Women.
In 1990, she achieved another first. She became the first person to swim from Manly, New South Wales to Darling Harbour and back. This amazing swim took her seven hours. In the same year, she also broke a speed record for swimming the English Channel. She had help from her mentor, a famous swimmer named Des Renford.
Susie retired from swimming on 23 February 2003. She ended her career with a special swim. She swam from the famous Sydney Opera House to Manly.
Awards and Honours
Susie Maroney received many awards for her swimming.
- In 1989, 1990, and 1991, she won the Advance Australia Award.
- In 1991, she received the Channel 10 Young Achievers Sport Award.
- In 1993, she was given the Order of Australia Medal. This is a special award from Australia.
- In 1997, she received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the New South Wales Government.
- Also in 1997, she was added to the International Hall of Fame. This means her accomplishments were recognised worldwide.
- In 1996, the Asthma Foundation gave her the Victorian Young Achiever of the Year award.
Her achievements continued to be recognised even after she retired.
- In 2005, Susie was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame. She was honoured as a top swimmer.
- In 2020, she was also inducted into the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame.
Incredible Swimming Achievements
Susie Maroney completed many difficult swims. Here are some of her biggest achievements:
- She won the Manhattan Island swim race three times. She won in 1991, 1992, and 1994.
- She made the fastest female two-way English Channel crossing. This means she swam from England to France and back to England. She did this in 1991 when she was 17. It took her 17 hours and 14 minutes.
- At age 22, she was the first female and second person to swim the 180 km (110 mi) Florida Straits. This was from Cuba to the United States. She completed it on 12 May 1997.
- She swam a record 197 km (122 mi) from Mexico to Cuba. This was the longest distance ever swum without flippers in the open sea at that time. It took her 38 hours and 33 minutes.
- She completed a 160 km (99 mi) swim from Jamaica to Cuba. This happened on 15 September 1999. She even swam during Hurricane Floyd, a very strong storm.
Other Activities
In 2019, Susie Maroney took part in the TV show Australian Survivor. She was on the sixth season of the show. She was eliminated on Day 7 of the competition.
