Born: 1962 (Australia)
Biography:
Michelle Jan Ford MBE was born on July 15, 1962, in Australia. She is an Australian former long-distance freestyle and butterfly swimmer of the 1970s and 1980s who made significant contributions to the sport. Ford’s achievements are highlighted by her gold medal in the 800-metre freestyle, bronze in the 200-metre butterfly, and fourth-place finish in the 400-metre freestyle at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Notably, she was the only non-Soviet bloc female swimmer to win an individual gold medal at the 1980 games. Throughout her career, Ford also set two world records and became the first Australian woman to win individual Olympic medals in two distinct specialized strokes.
Ford grew up in the seaside Sydney suburb of Sans Souci as the second of four children. She was well acquainted with water from an early age, as her father, Ian, narrowly missed Olympic selection as a yachtsman. At the age of six, Ford learned how to swim, and at the age of 12, she made national headlines by completing the 100-yard freestyle in a remarkable 61.5 seconds, setting the fastest time ever recorded by a swimmer at such a young age.
In January 1976, Ford participated in the New South Wales Age Championships held at the North Sydney pool. At the young age of 13, she broke six state and three national records, two of which had previously been held by triple Olympic gold medalist Shane Gould. Ford’s standout performance at the championships included winning the 200-metre butterfly, despite being only 140 centimeters tall. She also set another national and Commonwealth record in the process. Her strong performance in the 200-metre freestyle led to her selection for both events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Following a seven-week national training camp, Ford competed in her first Olympic race in the 200-metre freestyle, where she faced formidable competition, including eventual champion Kornelia Ender of East Germany. After the Olympics, Ford scaled back her training in order to focus on her studies at St George Girls High School. Under the guidance of her coach, Dick Caine, she began to concentrate on distance freestyle swimming. In 1977, Ford set an Australian record in the 400-metre freestyle at the New South Wales Age Championships before setting another national record in the 800-metre freestyle at the Australian Championships, where she also won the 200-metre freestyle.
In 1978, at the KB International meet in Brisbane, Ford broke East Germany’s Petra Thumer’s 800-metre freestyle record by 0.18 of a second, setting a new time of 8:35.04. She also set an Australian and Commonwealth record in the 200-metre butterfly. Just two weeks later, Ford further improved her record to 8:31.30. Her exceptional performances continued at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, where she won gold in the 200-metre butterfly, silver in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle, and bronze in the 200-metre freestyle and 4×100-metre relay.
Michelle Ford’s dedication, resilience, and strategic approach to swimming propelled her to excel on the international stage. Her accomplishments not only solidified her place in Australian swimming history but also served as an inspiration for future generations of swimmers, particularly female athletes. Ford’s ability to succeed and break records in different swimming strokes showcased her versatility and mastery of the sport. Her impact on women’s swimming is undeniable, as she shattered expectations and proved that women could achieve greatness in multiple areas within a traditionally male-dominated sport.
Awards:
– MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)