Greta Andersen

Greta Andersen
Personal information
Surname:	Greta Marie Andersen
Nation:	Denmark
Swimming style (s) :	Freestyle
Birthday:	May 1, 1927
Place of birth:	Copenhagen , Denmark
Medal table

Greta Marie Andersen (born May 1, 1927 in Copenhagen , Denmark ) is a former Danish swimmer and Olympic champion.

Career

At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London , she won the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle. With the Danish relay she also reached 2nd place in the 4 × 100 m freestyle. Four years later at the Summer Olympics in Helsinki it was enough with the relay only to place 4. As the best result in an individual competition, she was eighth over 400 m freestyle.

At the European Swimming Championships in 1947 and 1950 , she won a bronze medal in the 100 m freestyle twice.

Andersen set the women's record time in the English Channel in both directions (from France to England in eleven hours and one minute and from England to France in 13 hours and ten minutes). She was also the first person to swim the Santa Catalina Canal in both directions.

In 1949 she set the world record over 100 yards, which was only beaten in 1956. She has also set world records over 10 miles and over 25 miles.

Andersen was inducted into the Fort Lauderdale International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1969.

Web links

• Greta Andersen in the International Swimming Hall of Fame (English)
• Greta Andersen in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Greta Andersen Swim School