Champion swimmer Wilhelmina (Mina) Wylie - the first Australian woman to win an Olympic silver medal - has been honoured with a blue plaque at Coogee today.
The blue plaque is installed next to Mina's old training ground, Wylie's Baths, which were built by her father Henry in 1907 - a legendary long-distance and underwater swimmer.
Born in 1891, Mina was a trailblazer who 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 Mina amassed 115 NSW and Australian titles and held world records in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.
Mina competed at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics along with friend and rival Sarah "Fanny" Durack whose blue plaque has been unveiling on her childhood home at 80 Douglas Street, Stanmore.
Although it was the first time women's swimming was on the program, Mina and Fanny 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.
Following a successful public campaign, Mina made an Olympic splash securing a silver medal in the 100 m freestyle after being beaten by Fanny who set a world record.
Mina 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.
