Evening star., 1951-12-04
GWStudent
Eyes 50
OIynnpics
By Mary L. vouehon

A Washington lass with a spec
tacular swimming record is fast
steering a course as one of the
country's brightest stars on the
1852 Olympic horizon.
From a modified "dog paddler"
three years ago, 18-year old Mary
Freeman has graduated to become
a backstroke and medley specialist
with barrelful of broken records
behind her.
The pug-nosed blond and only
daughter of Army 1t. Col. and
Mrs. Monroe Freeman began her
career in the Walter Reed Hospital
pool at the end of the summer of
l948 while still gangley 14-year-
old. Her birthday was October 80.
In her own words, II could
barely make 40 yards dog padding
around the pool"
She was spotted by the hospitals
aquatic director and amateur
coach, Jimmy Campbell, who be-
gan her dilligent and strict train
ing on the spot. His explanation?
L thought she might make
swimmer"
With little fanfare, Mary slipped
into her first race in February,
1S49. and swan off with three
second places. That summer she
entered the Districts AAU meet
and churned her way to victory
as the city's backstroke champ.
She lost that title in the sum-
mer of so but won it back last
winter. Last August she set a new
District AAU mark, swimming the
10O-yard breaststroke in 1892.
In 1850, Mary began to break
National Women'S records and
since then has set three National
Junior AAU records, won the Ma
tlonal Senior Indoor 200-yard
backstroke and 300-yard medley
crowns.
Last summer she topped of her
swimming stunts by winning the
senior women'S Outdoor National
AAU 100 and 200 meter back
stroke in addition to placing sec
ond in the 300 meter medley. In
the 1851 Indoor National AAU
Meet she was the top performer
with the highest point score.
Now feet. 81 inches, and an
even 1913 pounds. slim but strong
Mary is busy practicing four hours
day for a crack at the world
competition in Helsinki. The
Olympic trials will be held next
Spring.
Beginning in February, more
rigid training will step up Mary's
daily swimming practice to eight
hours on the last lap to the Olym-
pic trials. In addition, she will
observe a $50 pm. bedtime dead
line and a strict diet of fruit,
vegetables and meat.
At present she spends her time
as sophomore at George Wash
ington University studying Eng
1lSIl. opdlIloll SOLNCl tlOI4, Pk14@
losophy and political science.
Plenty of study. an occasional
date and spare time chats with
her sorority sisters at the GWU
Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority
rooms round out her daily sched-
ule.
Her current practice sprints in
Walter Reed pool, to the accom-
paniment of her coach's oftimes
believing commands consist of
hours of uninterrupted back-and-
forth backstroke, breaststoke and
free-style swimming.
A harness tied around her
waist and attached to a long rope
enables Mr.. Campbell to hold the
swimming star in one spot while
he puts her through her PAGES
with Again, again, no, no! Try
it again, straighten your wrists"
commands.
Mary often swims with splints
taped to her arms to keep her
wrists straight and can be seen
practicing the backstroke many
times the length Of the pool with
one arm held straight behind her
head and the other arm and her
legs doing all the work.
Coach Campbell has only one
formula for Mary's phenomenal
success: II work her longer and
longer and harder and harder, "
he says. There's only one way
to be good in anything. It re-
quires more and more practice
and more and more work"
Mary willingly and cheerfully
endures the strain. with her starry
eyes trained on the Finnish cap
ital and world swimming record.