Frances Schroth

Frances Cowells Schroth (1893 to 1961) was an American competition swimmer who raced for the Athens Athletic Club of Oakland, California. Born Frances Cowells in Toledo, Ohio, she took the name Schroth on her marriage to George Schroth Jr. in 1918. At the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp she won three medals: a gold in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay alongside Margaret Woodbridge, Irene Guest and Ethelda Bleibtrey, and bronze medals in the 100 metre and 300 metre freestyle events. The relay team set a world record of 5:11.6 in the final, which stood until 1924. She also held four American records and was undefeated in women's competition at the swimming exhibition at the 1915 World Fair in San Francisco. She travelled to the 1924 Paris Olympics as an alternate in the 100 metre backstroke but did not compete, and later worked in swimming journalism and coaching.