Taylor-Smith, Shelley (1961—)
Taylor-Smith, Shelley (1961—)
Australian long-distance swimmer. Born in 1961 in Perth, Australia.
Born in Perth, Australia, in 1961, Shelley Taylor-Smith began setting local and state swimming records at the Surat Swim Club while still in her teens. After winning a scholarship to the University of Arkansas, she worked with coach Sam Freas, who encouraged her to perfect her long-distance swimming skills. She graduated with a degree in physical education and soon began setting marathon swimming records, breaking the women's four-mile time in 1983. At the Seal Beach 25-kilometer swim in 1985, she was the first woman to finish; she also won the Manhattan Island swim four times, setting a record in that event. From 1988 to 1990, she won the Australian marathon title. Her biggest accomplishment was winning the women's world marathon championship in Perth in 1991.
Sally A. Myers , Ph.D., freelance writer and editor