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Fact of the Day

Sep 4, 1998

"Speed Through Endurance"
In 1972, Shane Gould (15) of the Ryde Swim Club, Australia, became the only woman ever to hold every world record from the 100 metres to the 1500 metres freestyle. She was living proof of her coach Forbes Carlile's training theory of "speed through endurance".

In March, 1971, she became only the second woman ever to crack 60 seconds for the 100 metres when she clocked 59.7 in a high school meet in the North Sydney Pool. Nine months later, on January 8th, 1972, swimming in the same pool, she caused a sensation when she beat the great Dawn Fraser's seven-year-old world mark by .4 second with a time of 58.5 seconds. The following year Shane tackled the other end of the spectrum by becoming the first female to slip under 17 minutes for the 1500 metres with a time of 16:56.90.

At the 1972 Munich Olympics, Shane Gould competed in no fewer than 15 races, four of them on one day, and won three gold medals, a silver and a bronze. During the 1998 World Championships in West Australia, where she now lives, Shane helped form the Athletes' Alliance for Drug-Free Sport.