Sylvia Ruuska
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Sylvia Eliina•Ruuska |
| Used name | Sylvia•Ruuska |
| Born | 4 July 1942 in Berkeley, California (USA) |
| Died | 7 February 2019 |
| Measurements | 173 cm / 63 kg |
| Affiliations | Stanford Cardinal, Stanford (USA) |
| NOC |  United States |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 0 |
| Silver | 1 |
| Bronze | 1 |
| Total | 2 |
Biography
Sylvia Ruuska developed through the age-group swim program and, together with her younger sister Pat, was a star performer on her father’s Berkeley YMCA team that twice won the AAU national team championship. She set five world records and won 20 AAU titles, including the 400 y individual medley for five straight years from 1956. She was aged only 14 when she won her two medals at the 1956 Games. At the 1959 Pan American Games she won silver in the 400 m freestyle. On her second Olympic appearance in 1960 at Rome, she was appointed captain of the women’s swim team, but swam only the heats of the freestyle relay.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Sylvia Ruuska | |||
| 400 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 1960 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Sylvia Ruuska | |||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 1 |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Summer Pan American Games (0–1–0 1959 Chicago SWI silver: 400 m freestyle)
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m medley – 16 August 1958 - 13 May 1961: 2:43.2 (16 August 1958; Fresno, USA), 2:40.3 (14 January 1959; Hobart, AUS); 400 m medley – 27 June 1958 - 15 July 1960: 5:46.6 (27 June 1958; Los Angeles, USA), 5:43.7 (1 August 1958; Topeka, USA), 5:41.1 (24 February 1959; Melbourne, AUS), 5:40.2 (17 July 1959; Redding, USA))