Mabel Hamblen

Mabel Hamblen was one of three members of the Hammersmith Ladies Swimming Club in the Great Britain squad at the 1928 Olympics. Fellow breaststroke swimmer Dora Gibbs, and platform diver Belle White were the others. Unfortunately, all three returned home without a medal.

Hamblen, who worked in the chocolate department of the J. Lyons food manufacturing company at Greenford, West London, was a founder member of the Hammersmith Club in 1916. She would later go on to captain the club. She won the 1926 and 1927 Southern Counties 100 yards freestyle titles, and in 1926 was third in the ASA 220 free. Her only short-distance ASA title was in 1927 when she won the 100 freestyle. She was also the Long Distance Champion of England, however, winning the five-mile race from Kew to Putney on the River Thames three years in succession, 1926-28. She was the first woman to win the race in three successive years. Hamblen’s brother and sister were also fine swimmers.