Mary Kenyon

In her short career, and all-too-short life, Mary Kenyon won the ASA women´s 220 yards freestyle title in 1934 by beating the defending champion, Beatrice Wolstenholme. Kenyon had been runner-up to Joyce Cooper in 1931 and was runner-up in the 440 yards four years in succession between 1931-34, when she was beaten by either Cooper or Wolstenholme. Kenyon also won the Welsh long-distance championship and was second in the ASA long-distance championship on the River Thames in 1934.

Having been a member of the GB team at the 1931 European Championships at Paris, Kenyon was selected for the Los Angeles Olympics the following year. Sady for her, she could not compete in either the 400 metres free or 4x100 free relay because she was hospitalised with an appendicitis. Kenyon was expected to become the first inhabitant of the Lancashire town of Nelson to swim at the Olympics but, due to her unfortunate illness, the town had to wait until 1968 before Frank Carter had the honour.

After a training session at Nelson baths in 1935, Kenyon complained of a chill and ended up with pleurisy and pneumonia on her right lung. Despite initially showing signs of recovery, Kenyon deteriorated and died, six weeks after first becoming ill, following an operation at Burnley Hospital. She was just 19-years-of-age at the time.