Della Sehorn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Della M. Thrasher Sehorn (May 28, 1927–March 14, 2001) was a competitive breaststroke swimmer from the United States who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Born Della Thrasher in Portland, Oregon,[1] she grew up in Oregon City. She began swimming at a young age at the Columbia Athletic Club in Portland.[2] Following World War II, she married her coach, Al Sehorn, and began to set records in her best event, the breaststroke. From 1950 to 1953, she set 18 American records in the event.[3][1]

[edit] Olympics

In 1952, Sehorn was the oldest woman to qualify for the United States 1952 Olympic women's swimming team. Sehorn swam in the 200 meter breaststroke event, but did not qualify for the finals.[1][2]

Upon her return to Portland, Sehorn was honored as the first woman to receive the Bill Hayward Award, given to Oregon's top amateur athlete.[1] In 1953, she set three U.S. records in a single day.[1]

[edit] Masters swimming and legacy

Sehorn retired from competitive swimming in 1953 to raise her three children and coach swimming in Portland, and later in Los Altos, California.[3] In the 1970s, she began masters swimming, winning several masters swimming awards.

She was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.[4] In 2000, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and died in Los Altos in 2001.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Haight, Abby. "Swimmer Della Sehorn dies at 73", The Oregonian, March 16, 2001. 
  2. ^ a b "Miss Peters Clips U.S. Swim Record", New York Times, July 6, 1952. 
  3. ^ a b c Kellar, Liz (March 25, 2001). Della M. Sehorn. Santa Cruz Sentinel. United States Masters Swimming. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  4. ^ Inductees: Swimming & Diving. Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.