Margaret Woodbridge
American swimmer, 1920 Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder.
Margaret Darling Woodbridge, also known as Margaret Presley, was an American competition swimmer for the Detroit Athletic Club. Woodbridge also held world records during her career.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Margaret Darling Woodbridge
- National team
- United States
- Strokes
- Freestyle
- Club
- Detroit Athletic Club
- Born
- 6 January 1902
- Birthplace
- Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
- Died
- 23 February 1995
- Place of death
- Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Facts from the source article.
1920 Olympics
At the 1920 Olympic Trials, Woodbridge placed fifth in the 100-meter freestyle and fourth in the 300-meter freestyle, qualifying only as an alternate. In Antwerp, she improved her times and helped the U.S. women's team win medals. She earned a gold medal as part of the winning 4×100-meter freestyle relay team, alongside Frances Schroth, Irene Guest, and Ethelda Bleibtrey, setting a new world record of 5:11.6 in the final. Individually, Woodbridge took a silver medal in the 300-meter freestyle with a time of 4:42.8, finishing behind Bleibtrey, who broke the world record in both heats and finals. The 300-meter freestyle was never again an Olympic event; from 1924 onward women competed at 400 meters. Woodbridge was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Pioneer Swimmer in 1989.
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