Fanny Durack
Encyclopedia
Sarah Frances "Fanny" Durack (27 October 1889 – 20 March 1956) was an Australian swimmer. From 1910 until 1918 she was the world's greatest female swimmer of all distances from freestyle
sprints to the mile marathon.
, Australia
in 1889.
Durack learned to swim in Sydney's Coogee Baths using breaststroke
, the only style for which there was a championship for women at that time. In 1906 she won her first title, and over the next few years, dominated the Australian swimming scene. In the 1910-11 swimming season, Mina Wylie
beat Durack in the 100 yards breaststroke and the 100 and 220 yards freestyle at the Australian Swimming Championships at Rose Bay
. The two went on to become close friends.
In the late 1910s, she held every women's swimming world record from 100 m to a mile.
Durack and Wylie were initially refused permission to compete in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics
. The New South Wales Ladies Swimming Association later allowed them to go provided they bore their own expenses. Durack set a new world record in the heats of the 100 m freestyle. She won the final, becoming the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a swimming event. Until 1932
(when Claire Dennis won the 200 m backstroke in Los Angeles) she was the only such woman; and until 1956
she and Dennis were the only two such women.
in 1956. She was interred with her late husband in Waverley Cemetery
.
Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre in Petersham
, Sydney is named in her honour.
Fanny Durack was posthumously inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1967.
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
sprints to the mile marathon.
Life and career
Durack was born in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1889.
Durack learned to swim in Sydney's Coogee Baths using breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
, the only style for which there was a championship for women at that time. In 1906 she won her first title, and over the next few years, dominated the Australian swimming scene. In the 1910-11 swimming season, Mina Wylie
Mina Wylie
Wilhelmina "Mina" Wylie was one of Australia's first two female Olympic swimming representatives, along with friend Fanny Durack.-Early life:...
beat Durack in the 100 yards breaststroke and the 100 and 220 yards freestyle at the Australian Swimming Championships at Rose Bay
Rose Bay, New South Wales
Rose Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rose Bay is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Municipal Council and Woollahra Council .Rose Bay has views of both the Sydney...
. The two went on to become close friends.
In the late 1910s, she held every women's swimming world record from 100 m to a mile.
Durack and Wylie were initially refused permission to compete in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
. The New South Wales Ladies Swimming Association later allowed them to go provided they bore their own expenses. Durack set a new world record in the heats of the 100 m freestyle. She won the final, becoming the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a swimming event. Until 1932
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
(when Claire Dennis won the 200 m backstroke in Los Angeles) she was the only such woman; and until 1956
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
she and Dennis were the only two such women.
Death and legacy
Durack died in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1956. She was interred with her late husband in Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
.
Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre in Petersham
Petersham, New South Wales
Petersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Sydney is named in her honour.
World records
- 100 yard freestyle (1912 to 1921)
- 100m freestyle (1912 to 1920)
- 220 yard freestyle (1915 to 1921)
- 500m freestyle (1916 to 1917)
- 1 mile (1914 to 1926)
Fanny Durack was posthumously inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1967.