Norelius, Martha
Swimming
b. Jan. 20, 1908, Stockholm, Sweden
d. Sept. 23, 1955
Originally coached by her father, who had been a member of Sweden's team at the 1906 "intercalated" Olympics, Norelius grew up in New York City and competed for the New York Women's Swimming Association. She was the first woman ever to win the same swimming event at two different Olympics, taking gold medals in the 400-meter freestyle in 1924 and 1928. She was also a member of the winning 4 by 100-meter freestyle relay team in 1928.
Norelius swept every national freestyle championship in 1927, winning the outdoor 100-meter, 440-yard, 880-yard, and 1-mile titles and the indoor 100- and 220-yard events. She was also the outdoor 440- and 880-yard and the indoor 220-yard champion in 1926 and 1928.
She was suspended from amateur competition in 1929 for giving an exhibition in the same pool with professional swimmers, so she turned professional and won the $10,000 Wrigley Marathon in Toronto. There Norelius met Joe Wright, who had won a silver medal for Canada in the 1928 Olympic double sculls event. They were married the following year.