Vera Neave

Vera Neave (born 1893) was a British swimmer in the early 20th century. She was multiple times world record holders.

Swimming

Affiliations

Neave was a member of the Jersey Swimming Club trained by David Billington. Later she was a memver of the Enfield Ladies Club in London, where she was trained by her father.

Achievements

On 5 August 1911 she won the first women's edition of the open water race in London. Of the 18 participants, 12 finished the course. Neave swam the 15 miles in a time of 4 hours 9:39.6 minutes.

On 18 August 1912 she broke the 1 mile world record. with a time of 31: 41.8. The next year she broke the 2 miles world record with a time of 1 hour 1:15.4 minutes in a swimming pool in Liverpool. In 1915 she finished at the Traversée de Paris à la nage [fr] fifth of the twenty participants. In 1918 she holds two more world records. She is the 440 yards record holder with a time of 6:57.8 and the 550 yards world record holder with a time of 7:52. In August 1921 she beated again the 1 mile world record, now with a time of 21:41.8.