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Gertrude Caroline EderleAmerican swimmer
Date of Birth: 23.10.1905
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Gertrude Caroline Ederle
Early Life and Swimming CareerGertrude Caroline Ederle was an American swimmer and the first woman to successfully swim across the English Channel. She was born into a German immigrant family and spent most of her childhood in New York City. Her father, who managed a butcher shop in Manhattan, taught young Gertrude how to swim. They would practice at their summer house in Highlands, New Jersey. Gertrude later joined the Women's Swimming Association (WSA), an organization that produced great athletes like Eleanor Holm and Esther Williams. She became a member of the WSA at the age of 13 and set numerous amateur records in her age category.
Olympic Success and Channel Swim
In 1924, Ederle competed in the Summer Olympic Games and won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay and bronze medals in the 100-meter and 400-meter freestyle events. In 1925, she swam the entire Lower New York Bay, from Manhattan to Sandy Hook, covering a distance of 21 miles in 7 hours. The following year, with the support of the WSA, Ederle made her first attempt to swim across the English Channel. Unfortunately, she was disqualified due to a switch in swimmers during the journey. However, she successfully crossed the Channel a year later, starting from Cap Gris-Nez in France and arriving at Kingsdown, Kent, England, after 14 hours and 30 minutes. Her record stood for 24 years until it was broken by Florence Chadwick in 1950.
Later Life and Legacy
Ederle's third attempt to swim the Channel was sponsored by the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune. She competed against Lillian Cannon, Clarabelle Barrett, and Amelia Gade Corson. Cannon and Barrett were unable to complete the swim, while Corson finished, albeit 50 minutes slower than Ederle. On August 6, 1926, Ederle made her final successful Channel swim. During the swim, her sister Margaret, her father, and journalist Julie Harpman, from the New York Daily News, accompanied her on the escort boat. Ederle refused to allow other reporters on board and completed the swim in 14 hours and 39 minutes.
After her swimming career, Ederle attempted to pursue a career in show business but was unsuccessful due to poor management. In 1933, she suffered a severe back injury from a fall and spent several years bedridden. By the 1940s, Ederle had completely lost her hearing. She spent the rest of her life teaching deaf children how to swim. Ederle passed away on November 30, 2003, at the age of 98.
