Born: 23 August 1911, United States
Died: 18 May 1999
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Elizabeth R. Schwartz
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Elizabeth R. Schwartz (formerly known as Elizabeth Robinson) was an accomplished American athlete, securing victory in the inaugural Olympic 100 meters event for women.
During the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, in her third 100m competition, Robinson was the only American to reach the 100m final. She won the final, matching the world record at 12.2 seconds. Her victory was notable as she was the first Olympic champion in this event for women. This was a big deal since women’s athletics in the Olympics was still being debated by officials. She remains the youngest woman to win the Olympic 100m gold. Also, Robinson won a silver medal with the American 4x100m relay team.