Susan Kay Pitt (June 18, 1948 – November 22, 2024), also known by her married name Susan Anderson, was an American competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

and world record-holder. She lived with her parents Larry and Kay of Highland Park,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

at the time of competition. In 1963, Pitt was enrolled at Highland Park High School. Shortly after she turned 15, Pitt set a new world record in the 200-meter butterfly (long course) of 2:29.1 on July 27, 1963, which she held until it was eclipsed by Sharon Stouder in 1964. As a 16-year-old, she represented the United States at the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes
Susan Pitt
Retrieved January 27, 2013. Pitt swam for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4×100-meter medley relay. She was not eligible for a medal under the 1964 international swimming rules (as they do today) because she did not swim in the event final. At the close of the 1965 school year the New Jersey High School Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSAA), and the virtually all-male sportswriter contingent, selected Pitt as High School Athlete of the Year. She showed up to receive her award and was ushered to an outside lobby area. She received her award there, away from the spotlight enjoyed by the male athletes such as

Joe Theismann Joseph Robert Theismann (; born September 9, 1949) is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker, and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canad ...

who won the year before. In 1966, Pitt began her freshman year at the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...

. She retired from swimming for a year because there were no opportunities for female swimmers there. However, once she reviewed the results of the 1967 summer nationals she decided she had a chance to make the 1968 Olympic Team. Pitt transferred from Vermont to

Rutgers Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College and was aff ...

and trained with the men's team. At 20 she became the second-oldest woman on the USA's 1968 Olympic Team and was voted team captain. In 1973 (at age 25) Pitt set a record for the 200 Individual Medley (Long Course-Meters) at the U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) meet on June 22 with a time of 2:50.50. Pitt died from

glioblastoma Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nons ...

on November 22, 2024, at age 76.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pitt, Susan 1948 births 2024 deaths 20th-century American sportswomen American female butterfly swimmers Highland Park High School (New Jersey) alumni People from Highland Park, New Jersey Sportspeople from Middlesex County, New Jersey World record setters in swimming Olympic swimmers for the United States Sportspeople from Trenton, New Jersey Swimmers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Deaths from glioblastoma Deaths from cancer in Wisconsin

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