The Australian Women's Register

Summary

Linda McGill was one of the Olympic stars banned by the amateur swimming authorities as punishment for alleged misbehaviour in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Five months after being suspended, she became the first Australian to swim the English Channel. In 1967, she set a women’s record for the swim of 9 hours 59 minutes and 57 seconds, a time that came very close to beating the men’s record (9 hours and 35 minutes) as well. Three months later, she became the first person to swim across Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, Australia. She swam the twenty-five miles from Portarlington to Frankston in 13 hours.

Events

• 1965

  First Australian to swim the English Channel

• 1967

  Broke the women’s rrecord for the English Channel Swim

• 1962

  Swimming – 4 x 110y Medley Relay

  Gold Medalist at Perth Empire and Commonwealth Games
• 1968

  First Australian to swim across Port Phillip Bay