Ouden, Willemijntje den (1918–1997)

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Ouden, Willemijntje den (1918–1997)

Dutch swimmer. Name variations: Willie den Ouden; Willy de Ouden. Born Jan 1918 (some sources cite 1919) in Rotterdam, Netherlands; died 1997.

Won silver medals for 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay and 100-meter freestyle at Los Angeles Olympics (1932); won a gold medal for 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay at Berlin Olympics (1936); was the 1st woman to break a minute for 100-yard freestyle, and held the record for 20 years. Inducted into International Swimming Hall of Fame (1970).

See also Women in World History.