Sylvia Eliina Ruuska (July 4, 1942 – February 7, 2019) was an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in two events. At the age of 14, Ruuska won two medals at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes
Sylvia Ruuska
Retrieved September 29, 2012. She captured a silver medal by swimming for the second-place U.S. team in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Individually, she also received a bronze medal for her third-place finish in the women's 400-meter freestyle. On June 27, 1958, she became the first woman to set an official world record in the 400-meter individual medley, clocking 5:46.6. Ruuska subsequently broke her own 400-meter record three times in 1958 and 1959, ultimately lowering the world mark to 5:40.2 on July 17, 1959. She also set a new world record of 2:43.2 in the 200-meter individual medley on August 16, 1958, and breaking her own record with a time of 2:40.3 on January 14, 1959. Both her 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley world records were later broken by Donna de Varona. At the

1959 Pan American Games The 1959 Pan American Games were held in Chicago, Illinois, United States between August 28 and September 7, 1959. Host city selection One city initially submitted a bid to host the 1959 Pan American Games that was recognized by the Pan Am ...

in Chicago, she won a silver medal for her second-place showing in the 400-meter freestyle (5:03.4), finishing behind fellow American

Chris von Saltza Susan Christina von Saltza (born January 13, 1944), also known by her married name Christina Olmstead, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events. As an age group swimmer, von Salt ...

(4:55.9). At the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

in Rome, Italy, Ruuska swam for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Under the international swimming rules in effect in 1960, she did not receive a medal because she did not swim in the event final. Ruuska was inducted into the

International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the s ...

in 1976.International Swimming Hall of Fame, Honorees
Sylvia Ruuska (USA)
. Retrieved October 10, 2012.

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Sylvia Ruuska (USA)
– Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruuska, Sylvia 1942 births 2019 deaths American female freestyle swimmers American female medley swimmers American people of Finnish descent World record setters in swimming Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers from Berkeley, California Stanford University alumni Swimmers at the 1956 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1960 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers at the 1959 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1959 Pan American Games Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in swimming 20th-century American women

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