Maehata, Hideko (1914–1995)

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Maehata, Hideko (1914–1995)

Japanese swimmer. Born May 20, 1914, in Japan; died Feb 24, 1995.

Won a silver medal at Los Angeles Olympics (1932) and a gold medal at Berlin Olympics (1936), both for 200-meter breaststroke; was the 1st Japanese woman to medal in Olympic swimming and one of the 1st swimmers to use the butterfly stroke, which was controversial at the time.

See also Women in World History.

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