Jennie Fletcher

Jennie Fletcher, later known by her married name Jennie Hyslop, was a British competitive swimmer, Olympic gold medallist, and former world record-holder. In 1905 she set a new world record in the 100-yard freestyle that stood for seven years. She was selected for the 1908 Olympics, but the women's swimming events were cancelled due to a shortage of participants. At the 1912 Summer Olympics, she won a gold medal in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the individual 100-metre freestyle race. In 1971 she was inducted to the International [Swimming Hall of Fame] as an "Honor Swimmer".
Fletcher was born in an underprivileged family of 11 siblings and had to combine swimming with daily 12-hour work. In 1913, she began teaching swimming in Leicester, which ended her competitive career as she turned from an amateur into a professional. In 1917, she married and immigrated to Canada, where she gave birth to a daughter and five sons.
File:Belle Moore, Jennie Fletcher, Annie Speirs, Irene Steer 1912.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|Belle Moore, Jennie Fletcher, Annie Speirs, and Irene Steer at the 1912 Olympics