Anna Wilson (swimmer)

Anna Louise Wilson (born 1 May 1977) is a United States-born Olympic swimmer from New Zealand.

Wilson was born in 1977 in Iowa City in the U.S. state of Iowa.[1] Wilson, Elizabeth Van Welie, Scott Cameron, and Danyon Loader all trained under swimming coach Duncan Laing at Moana Pool in Dunedin, New Zealand at the same time.[2][3][4] In 1991, she set an Otago record in 100 m freestyle that would stand for 20 years.[5] In 1993, she set an Otago senior women's record in 1500 m freestyle that would stand until 2009.[6] In 1995, she set a national women's aged 17 100 m breaststroke record; it stood for 18 years until it was broken by Natasha Lloyd in 2013.[7] Wilson's Otago 100 m individual medley women's open record stood until broken in 2012.[8] As of 2016, she still holds four national age group records.[9]

Wilson represented New Zealand at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in six events.[10] Later in the same year, she competed at the World Aquatics Championships held at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy.[11]

Wilson was one of the 14 swimmers who represented New Zealand at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, and she competed at five events.[12] Wilson was in a team with Dionne Bainbridge, Sarah Catherwood, and Alison Fitch to compete in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay.[12] They came fifth in their heat and did not qualify for the final;[13] their overall placement was 11th out of 21 teams.[14] In the 100 metre breaststroke, she came 31st out of 46 competitors.[15] In the 200 metre individual medley, she came 25th out of 43 competitors.[16] In the 400 metre individual medley, she came 24th out of 31 competitors.[17] Wilson was in a team with Lydia Lipscombe, Anna Simcic, and Alison Fitch to compete in the 4 × 100 metre medley relay.[12] They came sixth in their heat and did not qualify for the final;[18] their overall placement was 19th out of 24 teams.[19] Wilson is New Zealand Olympian number 747.[10]

Wilson's portrait is included on the wall of fame at Moana Pool.[20] She is in the Hall of Fame at Swimming New Zealand.[11]