Greta Andersen

Greta Marie Andersen (married names Sonnichsen and Veress, 1 May 1927 – 6 February 2023) was a Danish swimmer who won a gold and a silver medal in 100 m freestyle events at the 1948 Summer Olympics. In the mid-1950s she moved to the United States, where she set several world records in marathon swimming in the distances up to 50 miles.

Greta Andersen
Andersen in 1951
Personal information
Full nameGreta Marie Andersen
Born(1927-05-01)1 May 1927
Copenhagen, Denmark
Died6 February 2023(2023-02-06) (aged 95)
Height5 ft 8.5 in (1.740 m)
Weight141 lb (64 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
ClubSvømmeklubben Triton, Ballerup (1943–1946)
DKG, København (1946-1950s)
CoachElse Jacobsen, Ingeborg Paul Petersen
Medal record
Representing  Denmark
Olympic Games
1948 London 100 m freestyle
1948 London 4×100 m freestyle
European Championships
1947 Monte Carlo 4×100 m freestyle
1947 Monte Carlo 100 m freestyle
1950 Vienna 400 m freestyle
1950 Vienna 4×100 m freestyle
1950 Vienna 100 m freestyle

Biography

Andersen was born on 1 May 1927 in Copenhagen to Mourits Peter Andersen and Charlotte Emerentze Benedikte Nielsen.[1]

Andersen began swimming in a club aged 16 while also doing gymnastics. In 1947, she won two European medals at her first international competition. Next year she won two more medals at the London Olympics, a gold in the 100m freestyle and a silver in the 4 × 100m freestyle relay. She failed to finish her 400m freestyle race due to sudden stomach cramps – she fainted and was rescued from drowning by fellow competitors Nancy Lees and Elemér Szathmáry.[2] According to her recollections, an injection her coach gave her to delay her period caused her legs to be paralyzed and for her to subsequently faint.[3] In 1949 Andersen set a world record in the 100 yard freestyle at 58.2 s, which stood for seven years. She took part in three events at the 1952 Olympics, but could not use one leg due to a recent knee surgery,[4] and failed to medal. Her best result at those Games was a fourth place in the 4 × 100m freestyle relay. During her career in Europe, she won nine individual Danish titles, several team titles, and four individual Scandinavian titles.[5]

In the mid-1950s she immigrated to Long Beach, California, and later obtained US citizenship. There she switched to marathon swimming and became the first person to swim a major channel both ways (Santa Catalina Channel in 1958). She also set world records in the 10, 25 and 50 miles. Between 1957 and 1965 she crossed the English Channel six times, setting a record for most Channel swims by a woman, as well as a speed record for women at 10:59 h in 1958. She also set an unofficial record for the longest Channel swim, while trying for 23 h to cross the Channel forth and back in 1964.[5][4]

In 1957, Andersen married John Sonnichsen, with whom she opened a swimming school in Los Alamitos in 1960.[2][6] The school existed until 1980. Andersen was among the pioneers in baby swimming, and continued as swimming instructor also after the school had closed.[1]

In 1969 Andersen was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF).[4] In 2015, ISHOF honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award.[7]

Andersen died on 6 February 2023, at the age of 95.[7]

Bibliograhy
  • Andersen, Greta (1952). En svømmepiges med- og modgang.[8]

See also

References
  1. Skjerk, Ole (2000). "Greta Andersen (1927 - ) / Andersen, Greta Marie". In Larsen, Jytte (ed.). Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon (in Danish). Rosinante. Archived from the original on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. "Greta Andersen". olympedia.org. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  3. "Interview with Greta Andersen on the Olympic Channel". Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ""GRETA ANDERSEN (DEN) – 1969 Honor Swimmer"". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 7 November 2007.
  5. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Greta Andersen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
  6. "Greta Andersen Swim School". Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  7. Keller-Marvin, Meg (12 February 2023). "Passages: Olympic Pool Champion and Open Water Queen Greta Andersen Dies At 96". swimmingworldmagazine.com. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  8. Vangdrup, Leif; Harding, Merete. "Greta Andersen". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
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