Born: 1909 (Stockholm, Sweden)
Died: 1955
Biography:
Martha Maria Norelius was a Swedish-born American competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder in five different freestyle swimming events. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden on January 22, 1909. Her father, Charles Norelius, was a Swedish Olympic swimmer and also her swimming coach.
Norelius’s swimming journey started at a young age when she displayed remarkable swimming and diving skills. At just seven years old, she was recognized for her talent at an exhibition at the Greenbrier pool, where her father worked as a swimming instructor. Charles Norelius had been an Olympic swimmer for Sweden and was offered a position in Florida to train the American swimming team for the Summer Olympics 1912 in Stockholm. It was during this time that Martha became good friends with another top swimmer, Johnny Weissmüller, who was also trained by her father.
At the age of 15, Martha Norelius represented the United States at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. She made a splash by winning the gold medal in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, setting a new Olympic record of 6:02.2. She edged out her fellow Americans Helen Wainwright (6:03.8) and Gertrude Ederle (6:04.8) in a thrilling race.
Norelius continued her winning streak at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, where she added two more gold medals to her collection. In the individual competition, she triumphed once again in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, breaking her own record with a new world mark of 5:42.8. She defeated Dutch swimmer Marie Braun by a remarkable fifteen seconds.
Additionally, in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay event, Norelius and her American teammates Eleanor Garatti, Adelaide Lambert, and Albina Osipowich not only clinched the gold medal but also set a new world record of 4:47.6. Norelius’s achievements were truly exceptional, as she remains the only woman to have won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400-meter freestyle.
Between 1925 and 1929, Norelius continued to dominate the swimming world by winning eleven individual Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles and setting at least 19 world and 30 American records. Her remarkable performances solidified her status as one of the greatest swimmers of her time.
In 1929, Norelius decided to turn professional and went on to win the ten-mile Wrigley Marathon in Toronto. It was during this event that she met Joseph Wright Jr., a Canadian Olympic rower. The two later got married on March 15, 1930, and welcomed a daughter named Diane in February 1931.
Tragically, Martha Norelius passed away at the age of 46 following gallbladder surgery in 1955. She was laid to rest in Bellefontaine Cemetery. Her incredible swimming career was recognized in 1967 when she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an honor swimmer.
Martha Norelius’s legacy as an Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder in freestyle swimming events continues to inspire generations of swimmers. Her dedication, skill, and remarkable achievements have left an indelible mark on the history of women’s swimming.
Awards:
– Olympic gold medal in the women’s 400-meter freestyle at the 1924 Summer Olympics
– Two Olympic gold medals in the women’s 400-meter freestyle (1928) and the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay (1928)
– Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an honor swimmer in 1967