AOC: On this day 45 years ago, Shane Gould MBE broke the world record for the 1500m freestyle.

As she held all the other women’s freestyle swimming world records, she became the first and only swimmer to concurrently hold all records!

Gould, who had turned 15 the month prior, held the world records for 236 days, until on August 4, 1972, when she lost the 200m freestyle world record to Shirley Babashoff at the US Olympic trials.

However, Gould quickly regained the record at the Munich Olympics, where she won three gold in the 200m and 400m freestyle, and the 200m individual medley, in world record time. She also won silver in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle.

During the two years, Gould swept the sports awards, and in 1971 was awarded the best sportswoman in the world.

To read more about the legendary swimmer, read her bio HERE.

David Tarbotton
olympics.com.au