Aileen Riggin

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aileen Riggin, 1920

Aileen Riggin (born May 2, 1906 in Newport , Rhode Island , † October 19, 2002 in Honolulu ) was an American diver and swimmer . She took part in two Olympic Games and won the first Olympic title for women in jumping.

Career

Aileen Riggin took part in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp at the age of 14 . She started there in both water jumping competitions . In jumping from the one- and three-meter board she was first and won the gold medal in front of her compatriots Helen Wainwright and Thelma Payne . This made her the youngest Olympic champion until she was replaced in 1936 by Marjorie Gestring , who was also from the United States . Riggin placed fifth in the four- and eight-meter tower competition. Four years later, at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris , Riggin competed on the three-meter board and won the silver medal behind the American Elizabeth Becker . In addition, she started in the swimming competitions on the 100-meter back. She was the first to pass the second semi-final with a time of 1: 29.6 minutes, and in the final she reached third place with 1: 28.2 minutes, thus winning the bronze medal.

In 1926 Aileen Riggin retired from amateur sports and became a professional. She toured with shows over various exhibitions. She was also an actress in underwater films and in the first slow motion shots of jumps. Riggin also starred in several Hollywood films and became a successful journalist .

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Riggin, Aileen
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American diver
DATE OF BIRTH May 2, 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH Newport (Rhode Island)
DATE OF DEATH October 19, 2002
Place of death Honolulu