This Day in History January 31, 1957

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I was pleased to find this since my daughter is quite a swimmer (although I do not expect her to go the Olympics!)  On this date in 1957, Shirley Babashoff was born.  Don't know who she was?  Nor did I until this evening.  Read on, and you will be enlightened!

First of all, she was the only woman to compete as a member of the Golden West College Men's Swim Team, and she was faster than all of them!  I like her already.

She didn't stop there, however.  She went on to the Olympics, and it was in 1976 in Montreal that she won three silver medals and one gold medal in swimming.  She also won two silvers and one gold in the 1972 Olympics, but it was the 1976 one where she overcame the odds, namely the East German swimmers.

I find it interesting that from what I can see, she never received an individual gold medal--it was always a team event.  And yet she is still regarded as one of the greatest swimmers.

Here are the links to more information about her:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Babashoff
http://www.answers.com/topic/babashoff-shirley
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Shirley_Babashoff
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ba/shirley-babashoff-1.html
http://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/alumni/pillar_babashoff.html