Mary T.

Meagher

Mary T. Meagher is a five-time Olympic medalist  and former world-record holder. She won nine world championship medals and 24 national swimming titles, and is considered to be one of the greatest female butterfly specialists in history. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Meagher set her first world record in the 200-meter butterfly at age 14 at the 1979 Pan American Games. One of her most memorable accomplishments came during the 1981 U.S. Swimming National Championships, where she set world records in the both the 100 and 200 butterfly and was named Female World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine. At the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984, Meagher won gold medals in both the 100 and 200 butterfly races, cementing her status as one of the best butterfly swimmers in history. She won a third gold medal in Los Angeles as the butterfly specialist in the 4x100 medley relay. She would win two more Olympic medals, silver and bronze, at the Olympic Games Seoul 1988.