Gertrude Ederle was one of the top American swimmers in the early 20th century.  At the 1924 Summer Olympics, Ederle took gold in the 400-meter freestyle relay and earned bronze medals in two other events.

On this day, August 6th, in 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel. Ederle began her journey at Cap Griz-Nez, France and finished at Kingsdown, Kent, England 14 and 1/2 hours later.  Ederle signed a contract for exclusive rights with the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune to pay for expenses.  Ederle’s father, sister, and a New York Daily News writer accompanied her on the cross-channel journey.

The successful swim across the English Channel was a notable accomplishment for Ederle and all female athletes.  Getrude realized the significance of her accomplishment and was quoted saying, “People said women couldn’t swim the Channel but I proved they could.”