Sybil Lorina Bauer (September 18, 1903 – January 31, 1927) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.[2] She represented the United States at the 1924 Summer Olympics, where she won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke.[1]
Bauer was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Norwegian immigrant parents. She graduated from Schurz High School in Chicago. Afterward, she attended Northwestern University in nearby Evanston, Illinois. From 1921 to 1926, she set 23 world records in women's swimming, mostly in backstroke events. During a 1922 meet in Bermuda, she also became the first woman to break a men's record,[3] finishing the 440-yard backstroke in a time of 6:24.8 (about four seconds ahead of the old mark). However, that record was unofficial, since it took place at an unsanctioned contest.[1]
^Sisson, Richard; Zacher, Christian K.; Cayton, Andrew R. L. (2007). The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. ISBN978-0-253-34886-9. p. 901