Edith McGuire became the top sprinter of the 1960s, winning six Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, Japan, in 1964. McGuire was also the only American woman ever to hold three AAU titles at different times, in the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump.
Shirley was the first Australian woman to win an Olympic medal in athletics in 1948.
Polish-American runner named the greatest woman athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Helm Athletic Foundation (1951)
In 1956, Betty Cuthbert won three Olympic gold medals, the first Australian to do so.
Military veteran and Paralympian
Australian gold medal winning swimmer, and Vice President of the Amputees Association.
In 1912, Fanny Durack became the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
At her home Olympics in 2000, Cathy Freeman was the first Aboriginal Australian to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
Helen Johns won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics at just 17.
Between 1930 and 1932, Seattle swimmer Helene Madison owned 23 world records for swimming and won every freestyle event at the U.S. Women’s Nationals three years in a row. Madison won three consecutive gold medals in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.