Maria Lenk
Encyclopedia
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian swimmer and to date is considered one of the greatest Brazilian female athletes.
At the age of 17, she was the first Brazilian
Brazil at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Brazil competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. Brazil returned to the Olympic Games after missing the 1928 Summer Olympics.-Background:...
and South-American
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
woman to participate in the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, at the 1932 Summer Olympics
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...
, in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Biography
Born in São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Maria Lenk was the first Brazilian in history to set a world record in swimming. On November 8, 1939, in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
with a time of 2:56.0, she beat Jopie Waalberg
Jopie Waalberg
Johanna "Jopie" Maria Elisabeth Waalberg was a Dutch breaststroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.She was born in Amsterdam and died in Enkhuizen....
's previous record of 2:56.9, for the 200m 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...
event. This record lasted almost 5 years, until Nel van Vliet
Nel van Vliet
Petronella van Vliet was a breaststroke swimmer from the Netherlands, who represented her native country at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. There she won the gold medal in the women's 200 m breaststroke.-References:...
, from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
broke it on August 17, 1946, with a time of 2:52.6.
In the same year, she also broke the world record for the discontinued category of 400m breaststroke, with a time of 6:15.8.
She also participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where she reached the semifinals of the 200m breaststroke event
Swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, eleven swimming events were contested, six for men and five for women. The competitions were held from Saturday August 8, 1936 to Saturday August 15, 1936. There was a total of 248 participants from 29 countries competing.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's...
. In this occasion, she also became the first woman in the world to swim the Butterfly stroke
Butterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
in an official competition. At the time, the Butterfly stroke was used as a form of swimming the 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...
, and not yet recognized as a separate swimming stroke. Lenk's account of the event was that at the time she subscribed to a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
specialized magazine that ran a story on David Armbruster
David Armbruster
David Armbruster is a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives and the founder of Armbruster florists in Middletown, Ohio.-References:...
's and Jack Sieg
Jack Sieg
Jack Sieg was an American swimmer who developed the Butterfly stroke in 1935. He competed for the University of Iowa and first used the stroke in a breaststroke leg of a medley relay.-References:...
's work in developing "a new way of swimming the Breaststroke". She became interested and started practicing the stroke by herself in her training sections. In 1936, she and Jack Sieg were the only two people that were prepared to use the technique in the Breaststroke events at the Summer Olympics.
Lenk's goal of winning an Olympic medal was cut short when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
caused the cancellation of the Games of 1940 and 1944, which would have corresponded to her peak in competitive swimming.
She retired in 1942, but never stopped swimming, focusing on Masters events.
On April 16, 2007, she was training in the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
's swimming pool when her blood pressure dropped and she suffered a sudden respiratory arrest
Respiratory arrest
Respiratory arrest is the cessation of breathing. It is a medical emergency and it usually is related to or coincides with a cardiac arrest. Causes include opiate overdose, head injury, anaesthesia, tetanus, or drowning...
. She was taken to Copa D'Or Hospital, in Copacabana, but medical personnel couldn't revive her and she died of cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
, aged 92.
Before her death, Maria Lenk still swam 1½ kilometres every day, even in her 90s.
Master World Records
At the time of her death, Maria Lenk still held five Master World Records:| Pool | Age Group | Time | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC | 90-94 | 1:25.91 | 50m breaststroke | December 18, 2005 |
| LC | 90-94 | 3:12.88 | 100m breaststroke | August 15, 2005 |
| LC | 90-94 | 6:57.76 | 200m breaststroke | August 15, 2005 |
| SC | 85-89 | 2:29.90 | 100m breaststroke | April 9, 2000 |
| SC | 90-94 | 6:37.73 | 200m breaststroke | April 21, 2005 |
Awards
- In 1988, she was inducted the FINAFinaFina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
Swimming Hall of FameInternational Swimming Hall of FameThe 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...
and, in the same year, was awarded the "Top Ten" award given to the best masters swimmers worldwide.
- In 2004, she received the Adhemar Ferreira da Silva Trophy for lifetime achievement from the Brazilian Olympic CommitteeBrazilian Olympic CommitteeThe Brazilian Olympic Committee or BOC is the highest authority in Brazilian sport and the governing body of Brazilian Olympic sport. It was officially founded on June 8, 1914 but World War I caused its official activities to begin only in 1935...
at the Prêmio Brasil OlímpicoPrêmio Brasil OlímpicoPrêmio Brasil Olímpico is the name given to the highest recognition that a Brazilian athlete can receive nationally.-History and configuration:...
, an annual award given to the best athletes in each Olympic sport.
- On February 12, 2007, the mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, César Maia, officially gave her name to the new Aquatic Park venue that held swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events at the 2007 Pan American Games2007 Pan American GamesThe 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
, in Rio de Janeiro. This facility is also part of the proposed aquatics venues of Rio's bid for the 2016 Olympics2016 Summer OlympicsThe 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
.
- On April 17, 2007, one day after her death, the president of the Confederação Brasileira de Desportos Aquáticos (Brazilian Aquatic Sports Confederation), Coaracy Nunes, announced that the name of the Troféu Brasil de Natação (Brazilian Swimming Trophy) had been changed to the Maria Lenk Trophy in Lenk's honour.