Irene Guest
American swimmer, 1920 Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder.
Irene May Guest, also known by her married name Irene Loog, was an American competition swimmer. She was a 1920 Olympic champion in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay and a world record-holder. Early in her career at age 17, she placed second in the Middle Atlanta AAU 220-yard title swim.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Irene May Guest
- National team
- United States
- Born
- 22 July 1900
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Died
- 14 June 1970
- Place of death
- Ocean Gate, New Jersey, U.S.
- Height
- 5 ft 2 in / 1.57 m
- Strokes
- Freestyle
Facts from the source article.
1920 Olympics
At the 1920 Olympic trials, Irene Guest, swimming for Philadelphia’s Meadowbrook Club, took third in the 100-meter freestyle to earn a spot on the U.S. team. Just 19 years old at the Antwerp Games, she came away with two medals. In the 100-meter freestyle, she won her preliminary heat in 1:18.8 and shaved nearly two seconds off that time in the final, finishing second to American Ethelda Bleibtrey’s world-record 1:13.6 to claim silver in 1:17.0. Guest also earned gold in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, teaming with Bleibtrey, Frances Schroth, and Margaret Woodbridge to set a world record of 5:11.6.
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