Curtis, Ann E. (Mrs. Cuneo)
Swimming
b. March 6, 1926, Rio Vista, CA
One of the most popular woman athletes of her time, Curtis was taught to swim by nuns at the Ursuline Convent School in Santa Rosa, CA. She then trained with Charlie Sava, coach of the Crystal Plunge Club of San Francisco.
She won the AAU girls freestyle championship in 1937, but was held out of major seniors competition until 1943. Curtis dominated the freestyle events for the next six years. She was the AAU national outdoor champion in the 100-meter in 1944, 1945, 1947, and 1948; the 400-meter and 800-meter from 1943 through 1948; and the 1-mile in 1944 and 1946. She also swam on the champion 880-yd freestyle relay team from 1945 through 1948.
Indoors, Curtis won the 100-yard freestyle in 1945 and 1947; the 220-yard and 440-yard from 1944 through 1948. She was a member of the 300-yard medley relay team in 1945 and 1947 and of the 400-yard freestyle relay team in 1945, 1947, and 1948. Her total of 31 national championships was a record for a woman swimmer until Tracy Caulkins broke it in 1981.
Curtis in 1944 became the first woman and the first swimmer of either sex to win the Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete. She was also named Associated Press female athlete of the year.
World War II forced the cancellation of the 1944 Olympic Games, but Curtis competed in 1948, winning a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle and silver in the 100-meter. She swam a great anchor leg to bring the U. S. a gold in the 4 by 100-meter freestyle relay. Curtis retired after the Olympics and opened a swimming school.