Doris Hart (swimmer)

Doris Hart was a British competitive swimmer and water polo player from London in the early 20th-century. That was the era were women's swimming and women's water polo started to become an established sport disciplines.

Hart was an Enlgish swimming champion, including in 1919.

Hart competed at the 1922 Women's Olympiad, the earliest women's international swimming championships. She won the gold medal in the 200 metres breaststroke event ahead of Belgian Elisa van den Bogaert. In the 100 metres backstroke event she finished second. With a time of 1:43.6 she was 0.6 seconds slower than  the Dutch Truus Klapwijk. 

Hart was the goalkeeper of the British water polo team. The team won at the 1922 Women's Olympiad the silver medal in the water polo competition after losing from the Netherlands with 6-0. Hart was named was one of the best British players during the competition.

On 23 August 1922 she broke the World- and European 100 metres breaststroke record in Aldershot. With a time of 1:33.4 she was over four seconds faster than the former record of Elisa van den Bogaert. Two years later, in October 1924, she lost the record to British Irene Gilbert. On 6 July 1923 she set the first World record in the 100 metres backstroke with a time of 1:36.7 at an international competition in Gothenburg. Already three weeks later, her record was broken by the Czech Jarmila Mullerova.

References

Other website
Image of the 1919 English swimming champions, including Hart

Category:British swimmers
Category:British water polo players
Category:Sportswomen
Category:World record holders