Gertrude Ederle: Record-Breaking Swimmer | Unladylike2020

Learn about record-breaking swimmer Gertrude Ederle who rocketed to international stardom in 1926 at the age of 20, as the first woman to swim across the English Channel in this video from the Unladylike2020 series. Considered one of the toughest endurance tests in the world, Ederle battled 21 miles of frigid water and treacherous tides between France and England to emerge on the other side of the channel. She beat the fastest man’s existing record by two hours — the first time in sports history that a woman had completed an event in a faster time than a man. Dubbed “Queen of the Waves” and “America’s Best Girl,” Ederle’s accomplishment helped to demonstrate that women could be great athletes and challenged conventional wisdom about women as the so-called “weaker sex.” Support materials include discussion questions, tips for research projects on female athletes, and primary source analysis.