US Olympic swimming trailblazer Susan Pitt Anderson has died aged 76

Olympic swimming trailblazer Susan Pitt Anderson - who led the way for female athletes in the US and around the world in the pool - has passed away aged 76. A two-time Olympian, she died on Saturday, November 23.

In 1963, at the age of just 15, she made headlines after breaking the world record for the 200-metre butterfly, by a whole second. This led to her representing the US at the 1964 Olympics, in Tokyo, Japan.

However, although she took part in the preliminary rounds of the women's 4x100m medley relay, she did not take part in the final - where the US was victorious - so did not receive a gold medal.

At the next Games, in Mexica City in 1968, she came on board as an alternate and ultimately became the team captain, leading the team from the sidelines when not in the pool.

In 1973, at the age of 25, Sue - as she was known - set a record for the 200 Individual Medley (Long Course-Meters) at the US Masters Swimming (USMS) meet.

After retiring from swimming, she founded Scarlet Aquatics and coached at Raritan Valley YMCA, nurturing young talent. Later, she was USA Swimming’s director of programs and services and an LSC consultant, she played a crucial role in shaping policies that benefited swimmers across the nation.

And she continued to play an active role in the sport, appearing at the US Olympic Trials in Indianapolis this year, before the Paris Games.