Thread by @MyDoncaster

The story of a swimmer called Gertrude Ederle is exactly what we all need to read this week.

Why?

Let us explain.

Gertrude did something ground-breaking in 1926, and we think she should be everyone’s new hero during #coronavirus.

The story of her determination and quiet grit is especially important for us to read at the moment.

Amazingly, Gertrude won a gold medal for swimming at the 1924 Olympics just TWO YEARS after mastering the proper freestyle technique.

Even this amazing achievement wasn’t enough for her, and she set her sights on open-water swimming.

Training in the Hudson bay in New York, Ederle’s dream was to become the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel.

Now, imagine you’re a man from 1924. You might say something like this:

‘PAH! Good luck, sweetheart! Swimming the Channel is something only a MAN can do, because of their stronger arms and highly-developed lungs. It’s called SCIENCE!’

Unfortunately, that’s what a large amount of men DID say. Bookmakers gave odds of 6/1 against Ederle succeeding. Her dreams were mocked, her hopes derided. She was made to feel like a fool.

In 1925, Gertrude had her first attempt at swimming the channel. On a choppy, unsettled day, she was 8 hours and 46 minutes in to her swim when she swallowed a big gulp of salt water, started coughing, and her coach grabbed her to make sure she wasn’t drowning.

Instantly, her attempt was invalidated due to the physical contact from her coach.

Because she was an absolute queen, Gertrude furiously sacked him and hired a new one.

In 1926, she had her second attempt.

Again, the water was choppy. People were telling her not to go.

With the jibes and jokes from her critics ringing in her ears, she smeared herself in lard and was heard to exclaim “For heaven’s sake, let’s get started!”.

Due to the high winds, Ederle was blown off-course during the swim. She ended up swimming 35 miles instead of the usual 21.

That makes it even more impressive, then, that not only did she finish…

…but she broke the previous record by two hours.

That’s right.

A 19 year-old woman had swum the English channel TWO HOURS faster than any man had ever managed it.

When she returned to New York, a ticker-tape parade was held in her honour by the Mayor, and her immortal words upon completing her swim went down in history:

“I knew it could be done. It had to be done, and I did it.”

So, why is Doncaster Council telling you this story about a greased-up swimmer?

Well, first of all, we think everyone could use a little bit of positivity at the moment.

Secondly, there is a vital lesson in this (and no, it’s not that sometimes it’s best to smear yourself in lard and crack on.)

Recently, when we see images or hear stories of people gathering in groups, or ignoring the #coronavirus guidelines, we too are made to feel like fools.

It’s easy to feel that the incredible sacrifices you are making have been in vain, that it’s not been worth the pain you might have put yourself through.

We’re here to tell you that it HAS been worth it, and Gertrude Ederle is proof.

She was made to feel like a fool.

She was made to feel like the sacrifices she had made, the incredible turmoil that she put herself through, was not going to be worthwhile.

And yet, she ignored those voices. She stayed the course. She persisted.

PLEASE, don’t let the actions of anyone else make you feel like your sacrifices have been foolish. They haven’t – they’ve been heroic.

If we all keep our determination, then just like Gertrude – we will make it to the other side.

We know it can be done. It has to be done, and we’ll do it.

#COVID19 #coronavirus