Karen Muir

Karen Muir (16 September 1952 – 1 April 2013)[1][2] was a South African competitive swimmer. Born and raised in Kimberley, she attended the Diamantveld High School, where she matriculated in 1970.[3]

Karen Muir
Karen Muir in 1967
Personal information
Full nameKaren Muir
National team South Africa
Born(1952-09-16)16 September 1952
Kimberley, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Died1 April 2013(2013-04-01) (aged 60)
Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBackstroke

Biography

On 10 August 1965, aged twelve years, Muir became the youngest person to break a sporting world record in any discipline when she swam the 110 yards backstroke in 1m 08.7s at the ASA National Junior Championships in Blackpool, England.[4][5][6]

Over the following five years Muir would go on to set fifteen world records in the backstroke at 100 metres, 200 metres, 110 yards, and 220 yards.[7] She also won 22 South African Championships and three US National Championships.[8] Due to the sporting boycott of South Africa during her active career, she was never able to participate in an Olympic Games.[8]

Muir was elected to the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1980. After retiring from her sport, she qualified, through the University of the Orange Free State,[3] as a doctor and practiced in the African continent.[8] Since 2000 she worked as a family physician in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada.[1][9] During 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. On 19 January 2012, it was reported that the cancer had spread.[10]

Muir died of breast cancer at the age of 60 in Mossel Bay, South Africa on 1 April 2013.[1][2]

Kimberley's Olympic-sized swimming pool was named the Karen Muir Swimming Pool in honour of the young swimmer, who was nicknamed locally as the "Tepid Torpedo".[3] When Muir revisited the city in 2009 she donated her Springbok blazer to the Diamantveld High School.[3]

See also

References
  1. Botha, André (2 April 2013). "Karen Muir sterf". Rapport (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. Edmonds, Scott (2 April 2013). "Vanderhoof doctor, former South Africa swimming sensation Karen Muir dies of cancer". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  3. "Tributes pour in for Karen Muir", Diamond Fields Advertiser, 3 April 2013, p 4
  4. History, Swimming South Africa
  5. "South Africa Swimmer, 12, Wins Third Title in Britain", The New York Times, 14 August 1965
  6. "Karen Muir: She Just Goes Out and Swims", St. Petersburg Times, 15 August 1965
  7. "Swimming in South Africa" Archived 8 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, SouthAfrica.net
  8. Karen Muir (RSA) – 1980 Honor Swimmer Archived 7 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, International Swimming Hall of Fame
  9. Clarke, Ted. "Doc makes splash at Citizen Iceman". Prince George Citizen. Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  10. André Botha (17 January 2012). "Karen Muir veg nou om haar lewe". volksblad.com (in Afrikaans)
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