Dawn Fraser

Australian swimmer who dominated the 100m freestyle from 1956-1964, winning three consecutive Olympic golds and setting 39 world records during her career.

Born in Balmain, Sydney, on 4 September 1937, Dawn Lorraine Fraser grew up in a working-class family as the youngest of eight children. Her father was a wharf labourer, and the family faced financial hardships during the Great Depression. Fraser learned to swim in Sydney Harbour and local baths, displaying natural talent from an early age. At 15, she joined the Balmain Swimming Club and began training under coach Harry Gallagher, who would guide her throughout her competitive career. Fraser burst onto the international scene at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where she won gold in the 100-metre freestyle and silver in the 400-metre freestyle as part of the Australian relay team. She successfully defended her 100-metre freestyle title at the 1960 Rome Olympics and again at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first swimmer in Olympic history to win the same individual event at three consecutive Games. Her dominance extended beyond the Olympics, with victories at Commonwealth Games and numerous international competitions throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. During her career, Fraser set 39 world records across various freestyle distances and became the first woman to break the one-minute barrier in the 100-metre freestyle, achieving 58.9 seconds in 1962. Her rivalry with American swimmers, particularly Chris von Saltza, captivated international audiences and elevated the profile of women's swimming globally. Fraser's career was marked by her powerful stroke technique and exceptional racing instincts. Following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Swimming Australia imposed a ten-year ban on Fraser for disciplinary reasons, including allegations of taking a flag from the Emperor's palace grounds. The ban was lifted after four years, though Fraser never returned to competitive swimming. She later served as a Liberal member of the New South Wales Parliament from 1988 to 1991. Fraser remains Australia's most celebrated swimmer, and her three consecutive Olympic victories in the same event stood as a unique achievement in swimming for decades. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1967.

Sprint freestyle specialist with exceptional starts and powerful stroke technique

Australia's greatest female swimmer and first swimmer to win same event at three consecutive Olympics

• Olympic Gold 4x (100m freestyle 3x, relay 1x)
• World Record 39 times