100 metres Backstroke, Women

The inaugural Olympic women’s backstroke event had a clear favorite. Sybil Bauer arrived in Paris as world record holder and claimed an unbeaten record in backstroke competition. At the Olympics, she dominated the field and finished four seconds ahead of the silver medalist. In comparison, 3.8 seconds covered the other four swimmers in the final.

Sybil Bauer’s career was brief but sensational, a highlight being a race in 1922 in which she bettered the men’s world record for the 440 yards backstroke by four clear seconds. She set 23 official world records in her career but did not live to defend her Olympic championship. In January 1927, she died just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. Shortly prior to her premature death, she had become engaged to a New York sportswriter, Ed Sullivan, who later hosted a very popular television variety show.