Ann Govednik

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.

Ann Govednik
Ann Govednik in 1932[1]
Personal information
Full nameAnn Barbara Govednik
National team United States
Born(1916-07-21)July 21, 1916
Chisholm, Minnesota
DiedAugust 6, 1985(1985-08-06) (aged 69)
Duluth, Minnesota
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke

Biography

At 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]

Legacy

She 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 added to the Southern Connecticut State University athletic hall of fame in 1984.[5]

References
  1. "Fair Olympic Girls Who'll Splash for U.S." The Decatur Daily. 28 July 1932. p. 6. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. "Ann Van Steinberg is Honored is Chisholm". St. Cloud Times. 30 March 1974. p. 11. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  3. "Anne Govednik is Entered in 1936 Olympic Events". The Minneapolis Journal. 16 January 1936. p. 24. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  4. "Japanese Finmen set Mark-Beating Tempo". The Buffalo News. 10 August 1936. p. 12. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  5. "SCSU". St. Cloud Times. 1 October 1984. p. 32. Retrieved 8 September 2023.


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