Ragnhild Hveger

Ragnhild Hveger

File:Ragnhild Hveger 1935.jpg Ragnhild Hveger in 1935
Personal information
Born	10 December 1920 Nyborg, Denmark
Died	1 December 2011 (aged 90)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Club	Helsingør Svømmeklub DKG, København
Medal record Representing Denmark Summer Olympics 1936 Berlin 400 m freestyle European Championships 1938 London 100 m freestyle 1938 London 400 m freestyle 1938 London 4×100 m freestyle

Ragnhild Tove Hveger (later Andersen, 10 December 1920 – 1 December 2011) was a swimmer from Denmark, who won the silver medal in the women's 400 m freestyle at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

From 1936 to 1943 she set 44 world records, and at one time she held 19 world records in different distances and disciplines. In 1937 she won three gold medals at the world championships. Unfortunately for her, the Olympic Games were not held in 1940 or 1944.

Daughter of a Nazi, sister of an east front volunteer, married to a German officer, she became very unpopular after the war, and was barred from the Danish team for the 1948 Olympics. She competed at the 1952 Olympics and finished fourth in the 4 × 100 m and fifth in the 400 m freestyle events. Hveger retired in 1954 after ending fifth in the 100 m freestyle at the European Championships.

In 1966 she was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and 30 years later declared sportswoman of the century by Danmarks Idræts-Forbund.

See also

• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 400 metres freestyle
• World record progression 800 metres freestyle
• World record progression 1500 metres freestyle

External links

• Pat Besford, Encyclopaedia of Swimming (London: St. Martin's Press, 1971).
• David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky, The Complete Book of the Olympics (London: Aurum, 2008).

Records
Preceded by Rie van Veen	Women's 200 metres freestyle world record holder (long course) 11 September 1938 – 25 February 1956	Succeeded by Dawn Fraser
Preceded by Willy den Ouden	Women's 400 metres freestyle world record holder (long course) 10 February 1937 – 25 August 1956	Succeeded by Lorraine Crapp
Preceded by Lenore Kight	Women's 800 metres freestyle world record holder (long course) 3 July 1936 – 28 June 1953	Succeeded by Valerie Gyenge
Preceded by Grete Frederiksen	Women's 1500 metres freestyle world record holder (long course) 3 July 1938 – 23 July 1955	Succeeded by Lenie de Nijs
Preceded by Nida Senff	Women's 200 metres backstroke world record holder (long course) 14 February 1937 – 17 April 1938	Succeeded by Cor Kint