Molly Ryde

Molly Ryde won the ladies ' yards backstroke at the 1934 SA Championships in Pretoria. She finished second in the 220 and 500-yard freestyle. At the Bulawayo nationals in 1936, she won the 150-yard backstroke and the 220 and 500-yard freestyle events. In 1938 she only took the 500-yard freestyle title. Missing the 1938 SA Championships while competing at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, Molly won the 100 and 200-yard freestyle and 150-yard backstroke titles at the 1939 nationals in Bloemfontein. Her name does not appear in SAASU records after that.

Molly swam for the Pretoria Women Swimming Club while she worked as a typist at the municipality. Below is a description from an Australian newspaper on 31st December 1937:

A head of glorious blonde hair instantly distinguishes Miss Ryde, the freestyle champion, from her sun-tanned companions. She is the holder of the South African championship, while the records for 440 yards and 220 yards, she has held now for six years. Miss Ryde, who Is just eighteen years of age, first came into championship swimming hi1 033, with the Pretoria Women's Club,  and almost instantly won recognition, and the right to represent South Africa at the 1934 Empire Games in London.

Miss Ryde in private life is a stenographer employed by the Pretoria city council and finds that training for championships occupies any spare time she may have when away from her work.

Her time for the 440 yards is 5 min. 34 sec., while she has covered 220 yards in the splendid time of 2 min. 34 sec. Both are South African records.