Ethelda Bleibtrey

Ethelda Marguerite Bleibtrey (February 27, 1902 – May 6, 1978), also known by her married name Ethelda Schlatke, was an American competition swimmer for the Women's Swimming Association, a three-time world record breaking 1920 Olympic gold medalist, and a former world record-holder in multiple events. She was first woman to win three Olympic gold medals.

Early life and activism Bleibtrey was born in Waterford, New York, She started swimming to help recover from polio, which she contracted in 1917. Bleibtrey swam for the Women's Swimming Association (WSA) of New York, founded by Charlotte Epstein in 1917, and coached by Louis Handley, a former 1904 Olympic gold medalist in swimming and water polo. Epstein would also manage the 1920 U.S. Women's Olympic swim team when Bleibtrey attended.

In 1919, Bleibtrey was arrested for "nude swimming" at Manhattan Beach after removing her stockings at a pool where it was forbidden to bare "the lower female extremities for public bathing." The subsequent public support for Bleibtrey helped lead to the abandonment of stockings as a conventional element in women's swimwear. Charlote Epstein, the manager of Bleibtrey's Women's Swimming Association also campaigned for more practical women's swimsuits, for allowing women to be members of the American Athletic Union, to add more AAU swimming events for women, and to include distance events for women in AAU competition. She set a world record in the 100-meter freestyle of 1:13.6 at the August, 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

She also won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, together with teammates Margaret Woodbridge, Frances Schroth and Irene Guest. The American relay team set a new world record of 5:11.6 in the event final.

In later life, Bleibtrey coached and taught swimming in New York and Atlantic City and later became a nurse in North Palm Beach, Florida. She died in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 1978.