Trailblazing Olympic Medalist, Mina Wylie, Honoured With Blue Plaque
Image: Supplied
Champion swimmer Wilhelmina “Mina” Wylie, the first Australian woman to win an Olympic silver medal, has been honoured with a blue plaque at Coogee on Friday morning.
The blue plaque was installed next to Wylie’s old training ground, Wylie’s Baths, which were built by her father Henry in 1907, who himself was a legendary long-distance swimmer.
Born in 1891, Wylie paved the way for female swimmers and was one of the first women to represent Australia at a Summer Olympic Games.
Between 1906 and 1934, she amassed 115 NSW and Australian titles and held world records in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.
“Mina was a tenacious young athlete who fought hard to represent her country in the Olympics bringing home the silver medal and making Coogee proud,” said Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O Neill.
“It’s wonderful to think more than a century ago, Mina was training here at this beautiful location every day which was pivotal in making her the champion she became.”
Plaque a testament to Wylie’s “enduring influence”
Wylie won a silver medal in the 100m freestyle at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, coming second to friend and rival Sarah “Fanny” Durack, who set the world record.
Durack’s blue plaque was unveiled at her childhood home in Stanmore’s Douglas Street on Thursday.
Although it was the first time women’s swimming was on the program, the pair fought hard to get a place on the team because the NSW Ladies Swimming Association held the view that females should not compete in front of men.
Wylie went on to coach other young athletes until she was almost 70 and, in 1975, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Inspired by similar initiatives in the UK, the Blue Plaques program highlights people, places and events that have shaped NSW in meaningful ways. Fixed to buildings or public spaces, the plaques offer locals and visitors a way to engage with stories that may otherwise be forgotten or overlooked.
“This blue plaque is a testament to Mina’s enduring influence within our community. It is fitting that we honour Mina’s legacy at Wylie’s Baths, a place that holds historical significance for not only Mina’s family but also for our community,” said Deputy Mayor of Randwick Marea Wilson.
“Mina’s story reminds us all – especially young women and girls – that extraordinary achievements on the world stage can start from anywhere, including, right here, in our own neighbourhood in Coogee.”
Wylie and Durack’s plaques are just two of 16 in the latest round of the Heritage NSW program, joining HIV activist and community hero Bobby Goldsmith, and the site of the first Koori Knockout, at Camdenville Park in St Peters.
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