Open water swimmer Sally Bauer – a star but not a heroine

Purpose: This article examines the accomplishments of Swedish long-distance swimmer Sally Bauer. Its primary aim is to document Bauer’s achievements, contextualize them within their historical framework, and analyze, through a theoretical lens on heroism, the reasons her contributions have not garnered the recognition they merit. Method: The study utilizes a diverse range of source materials, including press coverage from Idrottsbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Sydsvenska Dagbladet, and Göteborgs-Posten, Bauer’s autobiography, and four radio interviews with Bauer. Results: Within the male-dominated realm of long-distance swimming during the 1930s and 1940s, Bauer’s accomplishments disrupted entrenched stereotypes of women as fragile and passive. She broke barriers and redefined societal perceptions of female athletes and their capabilities. However, despite her extraordinary achievements, Bauer was never fully acknowledged as a national icon or Swedish heroine. Societal biases of the time overshadowed her groundbreaking contributions, denying her the recognition she rightly deserved.