Competition bathing suit worn by swimmer Jane Swagerty (Hill) at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics

Object Details

date made
1968
user
Swagerty, Jane
maker
Speedo International Ltd.
Description (Brief)
Competition bathing suit worn by swimmer Jane Swagerty (Hill) at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics is red, white and blue vertical striped nylon. It is lined in the front only. Hill wore this suit during the 100M backstroke final in ehich she won bronze. She also swam in the preliminary heats for the 100 meter medley relay.
The 1968 Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad were held in Mexico City, Mexico with 110 countries and 4,735 men and 781 women athletes participating. These were also the first to be held in Latin America and the first in a Spanish speaking country. The 1968 US Olympic track and field team was one of the most successful track teams’ winning twenty-four medals, including twelve gold. The high altitude of Mexico City was attributed to many of the records broken in the short distance races although those in the endurance races suffered from the lack of oxygen. These games also introduced the world to the Fosbury flop as Dick Fosbury won the gold with a new backward approach to the high jump, 16-year-old Debbie Meyer became the first US woman to win three individual golds in swimming and newcomer, George Foreman won gold in boxing. These Games were the first to subject athletes to drug testing which led to the first disqualification of an athlete after drinking a beer before his pentathlon competition. The politically charged atmosphere around the globe that year also contributed to controversy on the medal podium when two African-American athletes held black gloved hands high and bowed their heads during the National Anthem in response to the civil rights protests prevalent in the United States. The US won the medal count with 107.
Location
Currently not on view
name of sport
Swimming
level of sport
Olympics
web subject
Women
related event
Olympic Summer Games: Mexico City, 1968
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Sports & Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
ID Number
2018.0106.02
accession number
2018.0106
catalog number
2018.0106.02
Object Name
bathing suit, summer olympics
olympic bathing suit
Physical Description
fabric, nylon (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 31 in x 15 in; 78.74 cm x 38.1 cm
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-9553-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Record ID
nmah_1893719
bathing suit, olympics