Grace McKenzie was one of the four members of the Garston Swimming Club that made up the 6-strong Great Britain women’s swimming squad at the 1920 Antwerpen Olympics. Three members of the Garston club, McKenzie, Hilda James and Charlotte Radcliffe were part of the silver medal-winning 4 x 100 free relay team, along with Nottingham’s Connie Jeans. When she repeated her medal success at the Paris Games four years later with Jeans, Florence Barker and Vera Tanner, McKenzie was the only Garston member in the squad this time.
McKenzie’s first senior title was in 1919 when she won the Northern Counties 200 yards freestyle. That same year, having just turned 16-years-of-age, she finished second to Connie Jeans in both the ASA 100 and 220 free. McKenzie retained her Northern Counties title in 1920 when she was also third in the ASA 220. The following year she was runner-up to Garston team-mate Hilda James in the ASA 100 and 220, and was second to her again in the 220 in 1922.
Great Britain