Hjördis Töpel

Hjördis Töpel was a Swedish swimmer and diver who won two bronze medals at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Töpel was a member of the SK Najaden club in Göteborg and she was considered to be one of the best swimmers and divers in Sweden in the 1920s.

In the high diving event at the 1924 Games Töpel finished in third place to win the bronze medal. Töpel was part of the Swedish team that swam in the 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay in Paris, where they also finished in third place. Töpel also swam in the 100 metres freestyle, 400 metres freestyle, and the 200 metres breaststroke, with her best result of seventh place in the latter. Four years later Töpel competed in the high dive event at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Töpel finished in a disappointing eighth place in her heat, however, and did not advance to the final.

Outside of the Olympics Töpel won multiple swimming events and set several national records. Töpel was the Swedish champion in the 100 metres freestyle in 1923, 1924, and 1930. She was also the 200 metres breaststroke champion in 1923. At the 1923 Nordic Championships Töpel won in the 100 metres freestyle, the 200 metres breaststroke, and the high dive event. She repeated her win in the diving at the 1925 Nordic Championships. Töpel set national records in the 100 metres freestyle (1923), the 400 metres freestyle (1930), and the 200 metres breaststroke (1923).