Ilsa's Story
1944 –
Ilsa Konrads was the other half of the ‘Konrads Kids’ who took the swimming world by storm from 1958 until 1960. During that time, she and her brother, John, were coached by Don Talbot to set 37 individual world records - Ilsa set 12. At Rome 1960, she placed fourth in the 400m freestyle final behind American champion Chris von Saltza and one place ahead of Dawn Fraser. She also made the semi-finals of the 100 metres and finished fourth. Ilsa then joined with Fraser, Lorraine Crapp and Alva Colquhoun to claim the silver medal behind the von Saltza-led Americans in the 4x100m freestyle relay. She also swam in the heat of the inaugural staging of the medley relay.
At the 1958 Cardiff and 1962 Perth British Empire and Commonwealth Games, she won gold and silver medals respectively in the 440 yards freestyle. In 1971, Ilsa and John Konrads were inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
