Phyllis Harding
 Harding in her youth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Phyllis May Harding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 December 1907 Wandsworth, London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 November 1992 (aged 84) Rugby, England[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | James Turner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Backstroke, freestyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Croydon Ladies Swim Club Croydon (GBR) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Phyllis May Harding (15 December 1907 – 16 November 1992), later known by her married name Phyllis Turner, was an English backstroke and freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1924 Summer Olympics, 1928 Summer Olympics, 1932 Summer Olympics and 1936 Summer Olympics. She was the first woman to compete in four Olympics.[2]
In 1932, she set world records in both the 100 and 200-meter backstroke.[3]
Olympics
[edit]In the 1924 Olympics, in the first Olympic backstroke race for women, she won a silver medal in the 100-metre event. Four years later in Amsterdam she was third in the first round of the 100-metre backstroke event and did not advance. In the 1932 Olympics she was fourth in the 100-metre backstroke event. In the 1936 Olympics she was seventh in the 100-metre backstroke event.[1]
Harding won a European Championship backstroke bronze medal at Bologna, Italy in 1927, and another at Paris in 1931, where she also won a silver medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay. Harding more significant international victories were at the British Empire Games where she captured a gold medal in the 4x100 yard freestyle relay in 1930 and took an individual gold in backstroke in 1934. She also won a bronze in the backstroke in 1930 and a silver in the 3x110 yards medley relay in 1934.[3][4]
Harding was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a "Pioneer Swimmer" in 1995.[3]
Later life
[edit]Harding ended her competitive swimming career after the 1936 Olympics, and told the public she was to be known as Mrs. Turner. On March 31, 1934, she had married Coventry solicitor James Turner at St. Albans Church in Golders Green N.W. London. Her pink wedding cake featured a small swimming pool made of sugar.[5][1]
She died on November 16, 1992, in Rugby, England, 2 hours Northwest of London, at the age of 84.[1][6]
See also
[edit]- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Olympedia Biography Phyllis Harding". olympedia.org. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Phyllis Harding". Olympedia. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Phyllis Harding (GBR)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ Phyllis Harding at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- ^ "Olympic Girl Weds", Sunday Mirror, London, London, England, 1 April 1934, pg. 4.
- ^ "Family Announcements, Deaths, Harding, Phyllis, Evening Post, Bristol, Avon, England, 16 November 1992, pg. 14
External links
[edit]- Phyllis Harding at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- Phyllis Harding at Olympics.com
- Phyllis Harding (GBR) at International Swimming Hall of Fame
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- 1907 births
- 1992 deaths
- British female backstroke swimmers
- British female freestyle swimmers
- Olympic swimmers for Great Britain
- Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1928 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1932 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain
- English Olympic competitors
- Swimmers at the 1930 British Empire Games
- Swimmers at the 1934 British Empire Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
- European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- English female backstroke swimmers
- Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists in swimming
- Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming
- Medallists at the 1930 British Empire Games
- Medallists at the 1934 British Empire Games
- 20th-century English sportswomen
- British swimming Olympic medallist stubs