Ann Barbara Govednik (July 21, 1916 – August 6, 1985), also known by her married name Ann Van Steinburg, was an American competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics.
.jpg) Ann Govednik in 1932[1] | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ann Barbara Govednik |
| National team |  United States |
| Born | July 21, 1916 Chisholm, Minnesota |
| Died | August 6, 1985 (aged 69) Duluth, Minnesota |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Breaststroke |
Biography
editAt the age of 11, Govednik was pushed into a pool, apparently almost drowning before her sister Mary came to her rescue. From there she became a proficient swimmer.[2]
As a 16-year-old at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, she finished sixth in the finals of the women's 200-meter breaststroke.[3] Four years later, in Berlin, Germany, Govednik was eliminated in the first round of the 200-meter breaststroke.[4]
In later years, she became the physical education instructor at Washington Junior High School in Duluth, Minnesota.[2] She would die of cancer on August 6, 1985.[5]
Legacy
editShe was honored by her home town of Chisholm, Minnesota with the renaming of the junior high swimming pool, as well as, in 1974, declaring the 27 March as "Ann Govednik day".[2] She was inducted into the St. Cloud State University athletic hall of fame in 1984, and the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008[6][5]
References
edit- ^ "Fair Olympic Girls Who'll Splash for U.S." The Decatur Daily. July 28, 1932. p. 6. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Ann Van Steinberg is Honored is Chisholm". St. Cloud Times. March 30, 1974. p. 11. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ "Anne Govednik is Entered in 1936 Olympic Events". The Minneapolis Journal. January 16, 1936. p. 24. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ "Japanese Finmen set Mark-Beating Tempo". The Buffalo News. August 10, 1936. p. 12. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Pates, Kevin (August 12, 2008). "Remembering Anne Govednik Van Steinburg: A pioneer". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "SCSU". St. Cloud Times. October 1, 1984. p. 32. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
External links
edit- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ann Govednik". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020.
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