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Born in Manhattan in 1906, Gertrude Ederle first learned to swim at the age of nine at her family’s summer cottage in Highlands, New Jersey.

By the age of 15, she was becoming a formidable amateur swimmer. She dropped out of school and entered competitive training at the Women’s Swimming Association. She was soon setting world records left and right, and at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris she won two bronze medals, as well as a gold in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay.

1923 - Gertrude exercising her swimming muscles.

Ederle at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

Despite winning the gold with her team, she was bitterly disappointed with the other two third-place finishes, and set her sights higher.

The next year, she swam from Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, a distance of 22 miles. Her record time of seven hours and 11 minutes would remain unbroken for 81 years.

Her next target was more prestigious: the English Channel. 

1925

Aug. 7, 1925Ederle while training for her channel crossing.

With her trainer Jabez Wolffe following alongside in a boat, Ederle made her first attempt to cross the channel on Aug. 18, 1925. Seven miles from the English coast, fearing that Erdele was exhausted and drowning, Wolffe ordered a safety swimmer to pull her from the water.

Ederle was furious, and fired Wolffe. She brought on trainer Bill Burgess, who had successfully swum the channel more than a decade prior. 

A year after the first attempt, on the morning of Aug. 6, 1926, she stood on the beach at Cape Gris-Nez, France, greased herself with petroleum jelly and lard to protect against cold water and jellyfish, donned her modified motorcycle goggles and struck out for the English coast.

June 2, 1926Ederle sails from the United States to France on her way to her second channel crossing attempt.

Aug. 6, 1926 - Ederle's trainer William Burgess coats her with lard and petroleum to protect her from the cold water before attempting to swim the channel.

American swimmer Lillian Cannon wishes Ederle well as she prepares to swim the channel.

A strong southwest wind soon sprang up, forcing her to plow through choppy seas and whitecaps.

The tide and winds pushed her northward up the channel, but she continued to stroke steadily. A tugboat with her trainer and friends followed alongside.

After hours of struggle, she was within sight of Kingsdown, just northeast of Dover.

Ederle arrives on the other side of the channel.

At last, she came ashore, walking confidently despite offers of help from spectators who dashed into the water to meet her.

At the age of 19, she had crossed the 21-mile Channel in 14 hours and 45 minutes, beating the male record holder by more than two hours.

After a short breather, she asked if she could swim back out to see her friends in the tugboat offshore.

Ederle displays her swimming muscles.

Aug. 27, 1926Ederle greets cheering crowds upon her return to New York.

Aug. 27, 1926Ederle receives a parade down the "Canyon of Heroes" in New York City.