Martha Norelius

Martha Norelius was a Swedish-born American freestyle swimmer, born in Stockholm on 22 January 1909, who died in St. Louis, Missouri, on 25 September 1955. Coached first by her father Charles Norelius, who had swum for Sweden at the 1906 Olympics, she was the leading American woman swimmer from 1924 to 1929. She won the 400 metre freestyle at the 1924 Olympics in Paris and defended the title in 1928 with a world record of 5:42.8, and in 1928 she won a third gold medal with the American 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay team. She held world records in five freestyle events, and in 1929 she turned professional and won the Wrigley Marathon in Toronto.