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Helene Madison
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Helene Madison
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Helene Emma Madison (June 19, 1913 – November 27, 1970) was an American swimmer. She was a 1932 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter, 400-meter and 4x100-meter freestyle relay, and a former world record-holder.[2]

Key Information

Early life

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Madison was born on June 9, 1913, in Madison, Wisconsin, though, as a child, her family relocated to Seattle. By age 12, she began swimming in Green Lake, one block from her home, and later participated in Seattle Parks Department swim programs.[1] Recognized as a young talent by local Seattle area coach Ray Daughters in 1928, Madison started swimming competitively with Daughters at the Crystal Pool, and later at the Washington Athletic Club. She soon won the 1928 Northwest High School Championship in one of her first major victories as a competitive swimmer. Daughters would also later serve as the Head Coach for Madison's 1932 U.S. Women's Olympic swim team.[3][4]

Freestyle records

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Madison's swimming achievements in freestyle swimming were unheralded and remain unique among women's freestyle competitors through the 1932 Olympics. In a sixteen-month period in 1930 and 1931, she broke sixteen world records in various distances. She held all the official world records in freestyle in 1932 from 50-yards to the mile, and held American national records in the 100m, 220yd, 500yd, and 800yd freestyles. Her American National Championship records held for many years, with the distance events lasting the longest. Her record in the 100-meter freestyle lasted 15 years, her 220-yard freestyle record lasted 6 years, her 500-yard freestyle record lasted 23 years and her 880-yard freestyle lasted 5 years. In sprint events, she was most easily remembered for swimming a 100-yard freestyle in one minute flat.[3]

1932 Olympics

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Madison won three gold medals in freestyle events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, becoming, along with Romeo Neri of Italy, the most successful athlete at the 1932 Olympics: women's 100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay.[5]

In the 100-meter freestyle final, she swam a time of 1:06.8, and though she did poorly in a semi-final, she finished strong in the final and managed to edge out silver medalist Willy den Ouden of the Netherlands by 1 second.[4]

In the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, Madison anchored the American team which was considerably faster than the competition and consisted of Josephine McKim, Helen Johns and Eleanor Garatti. As only five countries competed, there was no need for preliminary heats. The American team finished in a World Record time of 4:38, defeating the second place team from the Netherlands that finished 9 seconds later with a time of 4:47.5.[4]

In the 400-meter freestyle, Madison was the standing world record holder, but the race was closer than expected. Madison swam a 5:28.5, though she had to edge out American silver medalist Lenore Kight, who finished only one-tenth of a second behind her. With the Americans dominant, South African Jenny Maakal, finished a full nineteen seconds behind second place American, Lenore Kight. The race was Madison's last of the Olympics, and the last of her swimming career.[4]

Post-swimming careers

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Coach Ray Daughters (left) and Madison (center) at Moore Hotel Pool, circa 1929

Following the August, 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Madison was met in Seattle with a ticker-tape parade and a large reception. Only two weeks later, she swam in a paid exhibition and lost her amateur standing.[1]

She appeared in The Human Fish, in 1932, a short film directed by Clyde Bruckman that included a small part for Johnny Weissmuller, where she had a starring role as the Human Fish. In the same year, she appeared in an uncredited role in The Warrior's Husband. Neither of the films she appeared in were large box office draws, and her attempt to work as a nightclub entertainer was short-lived. Having worked as a professional actor, she was not allowed to participate in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

In July 1934, she coached swimming briefly at Seattle's Alki Natatorium at Alki Beach.[6]

From 1948 to 1951, she coached Seattle's Moore Hotel Swimming Team, where she led her women's squad to first place in the Chronicle Championship in August 16-17, 1951.[7] In May, 1950, she was hospitalized after an operation to treat a severe back injury, though continued to coach after recovering.[8]

She also worked as a food vendor at a Seattle beach where as a woman she was not allowed to become a lifeguard, a department store clerk and a student nurse.[3][9][10]

Personal life

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Madison and McIver in 1937

On March 6, 1937, while working as a student nurse in Seattle, she married Luther C. McCiver, an engineer and builder, whom she had met in 1931 at the height of her swimming career. Madison had one child around 1938, Helene Madison Ware, who at one time lived in Marysville, Washington.[11] Divorced three times and living alone, she died of throat cancer in 1970 in Seattle, Washington. The ashes from her cremation are held at a mausoleum in the Acacia Memorial Park in Lake Forest Park, Washington.[12]

Honors

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She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1966, and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1992.[3] She was voted the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for 1931.[4] In 1960, she was elected as part of the introductory class to the Washington State Athletic Hall of Fame in Tacoma.[1]

The Helene Madison Pool, built in 1970 in the Bitter Lake neighborhood of North Seattle, is dedicated to her memory.

See also

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References

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Helene Madison

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from Grokipedia
Helene Madison is an American competitive swimmer known for her unparalleled dominance in freestyle events during the early 1930s, when she set 23 world records, became the first woman to swim the 100-yard freestyle in one minute flat, and won three gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Nicknamed "Queen Helene," she swept every freestyle race at the U.S. Women's National Championships in 1930, 1931, and 1932, earning high-point honors each year, and was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1931. Born on June 19, 1913, in South Bend, Washington, Madison moved to Seattle, Washington, as a child and trained under coach Ray Daughters at the Washington Athletic Club, where she rapidly rose to prominence. At the 1932 Olympics, she claimed gold in the 100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay, setting Olympic and world records along the way, before retiring undefeated immediately after the Games. Following her retirement, Madison briefly pursued an acting career in Hollywood with roles in films such as The Human Fish and The Warrior's Husband, then returned to Seattle and later opened a swimming school where she trained future Olympians. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1966 and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 1992, cementing her legacy as one of the pioneering stars of American women's swimming. Madison died on November 25, 1970, in Seattle at the age of 57.

Early Life

Childhood and Move to Seattle

Helene Madison was born on June 19, 1913, in Madison, Wisconsin. Her family relocated to Seattle, Washington, when she was two years old. This move established her childhood in the Pacific Northwest, where she spent her early years. When Madison was six, her family moved to a home one block away from Green Lake in Seattle. The proximity to the lake provided regular opportunities for water activities during the summer months, as she frequently swam in its waters. This environment fostered her early familiarity with open-water settings before any organized involvement in the sport.

Introduction to Competitive Swimming

Helene Madison began her involvement in organized swimming through the Seattle Parks Department programs at Green Lake, near her family home in Seattle following their relocation there. She participated in these community programs from childhood and developed her early technique under local instructor Jack Torney, who helped her refine her racing form and compete in local events. By her early teens, she had outgrown much of the local competition at Green Lake and started drawing attention in regional meets. Her entry into more structured competitive swimming came in 1928 when she won the Northwest High School Championship, marking one of her first major victories and bringing her to wider notice. This success led coach Ray Daughters, then at the Crystal Pool (also known as Crystal Natatorium), to recruit her for his team in late 1920s. Daughters began coaching her intensively at the Crystal Pool around 1928, focusing on speed and technique through rigorous daily training sessions. When the Washington Athletic Club opened in 1930, Daughters transitioned there as coach, and Madison followed, continuing her development under his guidance at the new facility. Under Daughters' coaching, Madison achieved rapid progress, setting the state and Pacific Coast records in the 100-yard freestyle in 1929 at age 15-16. Her breakthrough continued into 1930 with the landmark accomplishment of becoming the first woman to swim the 100-yard freestyle in one minute flat, signaling her emergence as a major talent in the sport.

Swimming Career

Rise to Prominence and Early Records

Helene Madison's rapid rise to prominence began in earnest in 1930, when she started setting world records in freestyle swimming under the coaching of Ray Daughters at the Washington Athletic Club. Over the next two years, she established herself as the preeminent women's freestyle swimmer of her era through an extraordinary series of performances. In a remarkable 16-month period spanning 1930 to 1931, Madison broke all 16 recognized world freestyle records across various distances. By 1932, she held every official women's world freestyle record simultaneously from 50 yards to one mile, including both short-course yard and long-course meter events. She became the first woman to complete the 100-yard freestyle in one minute flat (1:00.0). Her achievements earned her the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award in 1931. Some of her American national records endured for decades after her retirement; the 100-meter freestyle mark lasted 15 years, while the 500-yard freestyle record stood for 23 years.

Dominance in National Championships

Helene Madison exhibited complete dominance in United States national swimming competitions during the early 1930s, winning every freestyle event at the U.S. Women's National Championships in 1930, 1931, and 1932. This streak of victories across the 100-yard, 440-yard, and 880-yard freestyle events (or their equivalent distances) underscored her position as the preeminent freestyle swimmer in the country during those years. Her consistent success in these domestic championships built the foundation for her international reputation. The 1930 national championships, held in Florida, marked a particularly standout performance when Madison captured multiple titles in a single meet while breaking several records. She set new American and world marks in the process, demonstrating exceptional speed and endurance that left competitors far behind. These achievements in 1930 were followed by equally decisive sweeps in the subsequent two years, solidifying her unmatched control over national-level freestyle racing. Her record in the U.S. nationals during this period reflected not only individual excellence but also the rapid improvement in American women's swimming, with Madison leading the way in setting higher standards for performance. This three-year run of total dominance in domestic freestyle events remains one of the most impressive feats in early competitive swimming history.

1932 Los Angeles Olympics

Qualification and Preparation

Helene Madison qualified for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics by dominating the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, held July 15–16 at Jones Beach on Long Island, New York. She won the 100-meter freestyle in 1 minute 9-1/5 seconds and the 400-meter freestyle in 5 minutes 32-1/5 seconds, securing her spots in those individual events as well as the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Her longtime coach Ray Daughters, who had trained her at Seattle's Washington Athletic Club and guided her through a period of unprecedented world-record breaking in freestyle events, prepared her for the trials following her continued national dominance. Qualification was viewed as a formality given her recent achievements. Madison had already decided prior to the Olympics that the Games would end her amateur career, motivated by family financial needs and emerging professional opportunities; she accepted a motion picture contract even before the events concluded. Her coach Ray Daughters publicly announced her retirement to the press immediately after her final Olympic race, declaring the Los Angeles Games the climax of her swimming career.

Gold Medal Achievements

At the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Helene Madison won three gold medals, tying her for the most successful individual athlete of the Games. She claimed her first gold in the women's 100 metres freestyle with a time of 1:06.8. In the women's 400 metres freestyle, Madison won gold and set a new world record of 5:28.5, finishing just 0.1 seconds ahead of teammate Lenore Kight who took silver in 5:28.6, while Jenny Maakal of South Africa earned bronze in 5:47.3; this victory came in what proved to be Madison's final competitive race. Madison also anchored the United States team to gold in the women's 4×100 metres freestyle relay, where the quartet set a new world record of 4:38.0 and finished nine seconds ahead of the silver-medal Netherlands team (4:47.5).

Post-Retirement Activities

Brief Film Appearances

Following her three gold medals at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Helene Madison briefly pursued opportunities in Hollywood, signing a contract with producer Mack Sennett in an attempt to capitalize on her swimming fame. She starred as herself in the Mack Sennett two-reel comedy short The Human Fish (1932), initially announced as Help, Help Helene but released under its final title, portraying the title character in a film that ultimately bombed at the box office and failed to launch a lasting acting career. Prior to the Olympics, Madison had appeared as herself in the short Sport Slants #2 (1931), credited as a swimming champion. In 1933, she took uncredited supporting roles in two feature films: as a swimmer in the comedy It's Great to Be Alive and as Captain in the adventure The Warrior's Husband. These appearances marked the extent of her film work, which proved short-lived and unsuccessful, with no additional credits or sustained presence in motion pictures.

Other Professional Endeavors

After the 1932 Olympics, Helene Madison relinquished her amateur status by performing paid swimming exhibitions, which barred her from future amateur competitions. She subsequently pursued several professional paths to support herself. Her attempts to transition into entertainment included a short-lived effort as a nightclub entertainer, which proved unsuccessful due to lack of fit with her personality. She also trained to become a nurse during the mid-1930s, but these plans did not come to fruition. In 1948, Madison returned to the sport by opening a swimming school at the Moore Hotel Pool in Seattle, where she coached for 13 years. Among her pupils was future Olympian Nancy Ramey, who trained under her as a pre-teen and later won silver in the 100m butterfly at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. This represented her primary documented professional involvement in swimming post-retirement.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Helene Madison was married and divorced three times during her lifetime. She married engineer Luther C. McIver on March 6, 1937. The couple had one daughter, Helene Jr., born in 1938. Her marriage to McIver ended in divorce in 1958, after which she remarried and was divorced again in 1961. Madison was living alone at the time of her death.

Health Challenges

Helene Madison faced several serious health challenges in her later years, beginning in the 1950s. She suffered two minor strokes and underwent major back surgery during that decade. These conditions contributed to the closure of her swimming school in 1958. In 1965, Madison was diagnosed with diabetes. In 1968, she received a diagnosis of throat cancer, which necessitated surgery involving the removal and reconstruction of her esophagus.

Death and Legacy

Final Years

In her final years, Helene Madison lived alone in a small apartment near Green Lake in Seattle, close to the beach where she had swum as a youth. After undergoing major surgery for throat cancer that involved removal and reconstruction of her esophagus, she continued to reside there modestly despite her declining health. She died from throat cancer on November 25, 1970, at the age of 57 in Seattle. Her ashes were interred in the mausoleum at Acacia Memorial Park.

Honors and Recognition

Helene Madison's pioneering achievements in swimming were celebrated through multiple hall of fame inductions and a named facility in her honor. In 1960, she was inducted into the Washington State Sports Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class. In 1966, Madison was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in recognition of her dominance in freestyle events and her collection of world records. Facing financial challenges, she initially could not afford travel to the ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but the Washington Athletic Club provided funding for her trip to attend. These honors reflected her status as a trailblazing Olympic champion. In 1992, she was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, becoming the first athlete from Washington state to receive this distinction. In 1970, a public swimming pool in Seattle's Bitter Lake neighborhood was named the Helene Madison Pool to commemorate her legacy.
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