Despite the international boycott of South African athletes, Karen Muir set 18 world records between 1965 and 1969 and various events and distances. Note that during that period the swimming world was moving from 55-yard to 50-meter pools. Because a 110-yard swim was further than 100 meters, one swim could result in two records. 

Taking time from school, she travelled overseas every year to swim against the world's best, usually beating all comers. Olympic champions and medallists like Kathy Ferguson, Elain Tanner and Kiki Caron came to her home town Kimberley, because she held the world records.

The 1966 South African swimming championships were due to start there two days later, with the women's 110-yard backstroke final scheduled for Tuesday evening. In all the excitement of the world records, and races won in faraway places, Karen would still have been very aware that this was the big stage of South African swimming - where she had yet to win a gold medal! Karen had spent countless hours in the pool, training with the other swimmers, dreaming of swimming glory.

For most swimmers world records would probably not have been their dream; qualifying for nationals, making a final, winning a medal - and ultimately a national title, was the pinnacle of sporting achievement for South African swimmers, who were banned from competing in the Olympic Games. For very select few there was the added and elusive reward of Springbok colours - a rare achievement in those days - only for representing South Africa in an international event. As one Olympian said, "World records are there to be broken but medals are there forever and you can hold onto them."

For Karen Muir, an Olympic gold medal was never something she could achieve - she already held the world record anyway. For her, a first title at the South African championships, in front of her peers, would have been very special.

1964 Olympic medallists - Virginia Duenkel, Cathy Ferguson and Kiki Caron.

Relive the moment America's Cathy Ferguson set a world record by winning the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. This is who Karen was up against in Durban, and to make it extra special - the current Olympic gold and silver medalists were there to be beaten. Cathy Ferguson and Kiki Caron represented the world Karen was excluded from, but here they were, in her backyard, to be measured, and Karen did not disappoint.

The local press billed it as the Olympic final that never was - Ferguson, Caron, Fairlie and Muir - the four best female backstrokers in the world, having it out. Not only were the stands packed with Durbanites coming to see an extraordinary sporting event, but the cream of South African provincial swimming was also there for the premier event on the annual SA swimming calendar. For any sportsman, the abiding memories of their career are the relationships with teammates and archrivals. They had seen Karen swim at two previous nationals, where Ann won both times and now they were in Durban for their national championships.

Added to the usual tensions and excitement was the possibility of world records, and Olympians Ferguson and Caron, who were no strangers to the big stage. Karen had never swum against the Olympic champion Cathy Ferguson, and she was the one Karen was most afraid of.

Meanwhile, Karen and her coach Frank Gray were plotting her next move. He set up a trip to Italy for the end of March 1966, where Karen would compete in an international event in Milan. The trip was due to an invitation from the Italian Swimming Federation, via the South African Swimming Union, who did not approve of Frank accompanying his swimmer as a coach - they always sent their own man Alex Bulley as coach. Frank made it clear that he was going anyway - with or without their approval. Funded by generous contributions from local sponsors, Frank Gray and Karen, accompanied by her mother Yvonne, set off for Milan. Coming from an Afrikaans town like Kimberley - it was to be an experience for her!

At the 33,3 metres Piscina Cozzi of Milan Karen competed against swimmers like Romanian swimmer Cristina Balaban who won a bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 1966 European Aquatics Championships and Russian Natalya Mikhaylova, who would finish second behind Karen in the 100m backstroke event. Frank Gray wrote from Milan - explaining how his champion was coping with the attention. In the end, it was all probably a bit much, as Karen ended up in bed with a severe cold! But like any teenager, she was soon back on her feet to be a tourist in Naples and Rome, giving exhibitions to schoolchildren. Before leaving for home she attempted the 200m-backstroke world record of 2:27,7, held by Cathy Ferguson. Having just seen off the American challenge in Durban, she must have fancied her chances of setting a new record. Swimming in the mosaic magnificence of the Foro Italico she had a bad start, and failed to break the world record, despite a split of 34,4 over the last 50. However - she was to break that record twice in the next few months, and again in 1968.

Returning to Kimberley again was not to be without some difficulties. In what must have involved some high-level diplomatic scrambling, the Muirs and Frank Gray were allowed to travel home - without any passports. Frank Gray wrote a report of their trip for the people back in Kimberley, who were following Karen's travels in the Diamond Field Advertiser.

In July 1966 Karen undertook another extended Springbok tour - to France, the USA and Canada. The British ASA, probably tired of the South Africans winning all the titles at their nationals, had changed their rules to allow only British-born swimmers to swim in the ASA nationals. Instead, SAASU had arranged a tour of France and the USA for July - and also to Canada to compete at the British Columbia centenary celebration gala.

In France, they were to swim unofficially in an international gala involving Spain and Italy, while in the USA they would take part in the Los Angeles Invitational and the US Swimming nationals in Nebraska. The Canadian invitation would extend that trip right up until the end of August. Luckily for Karen's academic aspirations, the trip coincided (mostly) with the SA winter school holidays - certainly a factor in deciding whether to allow her so much time away from school.

At the time visiting Australian great Ilsa Konrads had written a series of swimming articles for a local newspaper, in which she criticized the arrangements made by SAASU for the trip. In particular - their continued insistence on Alex Bulley being the only coach on tour, and their refusal of permission to accompany her coach Frank Gray to London, where she would have been able to prepare for the tour in a heated pool. Friction with SAASU and the management of Karen Muir was to have a big impact on the 1967 tour.

Swimming training in cold water, which is all Kimberley could provide, was not a viable option. As a result, Karen was forced to travel to Johannesburg, to train in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Summit Club in Hillbrow.

On tour, Karen accompanied by the older Ann Fairlie - once again received extensive press attention, while the swimming officials scheduled sightseeing trips, which exhausted the swimmers. Their first gala was in the French town of Beziers, where they were allowed to swim unofficially in an international event including Spain, Italy and France. Although not part of the official international competition, the South African swimmers certainly made an impact as first Ann Fairlie and then Karen Muir world backstroke records. 

Ann Fairlie's second world record - Beziers - 23 July 1966

Fellow Springbok swimmer and arch-rival Ann Fairlie set her second world record when she broke Kathy Ferguson's Olympic winning time in the 100m record, in a time of 1:07,4. Karen was second with Kiki Caron in third place. Caron was to win the European Championships in 1:08,1 later that summer, beating Linda Ludgrove and Christina Balaban.

The photo below shows the three - with Karen Muir looking less than happy with at the occasion! Two days later she sets her own new world record in the 200 backstroke.

After France they crossed the Atlantic, and the USA, to California, to swim in the famous Los Angeles Invitational gala. This was a big event in US swimming, featuring all of the best  American swimmers and drawing a huge crowd to the Los Angeles Swimming Stadium. Karen would remember the noise from the indoor pool at Blackpool, and the large crowd in Durban during the South African nationals, but this would have been another huge step up for her. She was the current world record holder - from faraway Kimberley, on the fringes of civilization - coming to the centre of world swimming. In 1976 more medals would be won at the Olympics by swimmers from southern California – than by the rest of the world combined. This was indeed the big time for Karen!

A familiar face in the crowd for Karen was Patty Caretto - seen below during her in Kimberley earlier in the year.  Another was Cathy Ferguson, who had swum against Karen in Durban earlier in the year and was a Los Angeles local. Ferguson was the first-ever international Swimmer of the Year in 1965 - an accolade won by Penny Heyns in 1996 and 1999. Making the cover of Swimming World magazine was an achievement and an honour for both swimmers.  

Click here to see a video of Patty Caretto, which gives an insight into life on the road for young international swimming girls like her and Karen Muir. The chaperone on Patty's trip to South Africa was coach Jane Stafford, who had met Jennie Maakal at the 1932 Olympic Games.

On 2nd August 1966 at the Los Angeles Invitational meet, Karen Muir won the 200m backstroke in a meet record time of  2:28,1. Her time was a second slower than the world record she set in Beziers. She also second to Claudia Kolb in the 200m medley. Kolb was to set a new world record later that month at the US nationals in Lincoln, while Karen and Elaine Tanner would set a combined new mark for 220 yards IM at the Canadian gala in Vancouver.

In August 1966 AAU nationals were held at the Woods Pool in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It was the next destination of the Springbok tour. They were joined there by several South African swimmers, like Vernon Slovin (a former Frank Gray squad member) and Basil Hotz from Johannesburg, who were swimming for American universities. The pool was a 50m outdoor venue, which turned out to be a problem, as the weather turned cold and hampered the swimmer's performance. Lincoln is perhaps more well known in recent South African swimming circles as the home of the University of Nebraska swim team - where world record holders Penny Heyns, Peter Williams and other South Africans would receive university scholarships. At the end of the tournament, the Springboks won two titles and a silver, with Ann Fairlie winning the 100 backstroke and Karen Muir the 200 backstroke in a new world record time.

 The cream of US swimming was there - Mark Spitz, Don Schollander, Catie Ball, and Charlie Hickox were to compete - and Patty Caretto who was to set a WR for the 1500m freestyle. Don Schollander would also swim at the gala in Vancouver later in August, and then he visited South Africa in the following year.

 While the Olympic Games limit entries to two swimmers per country in each event, the full depth of American swimming is present at their nationals. Little wonder the South African men largely failed to impress, despite setting several new South African records, but in women's backstroke the Springboks were supreme.

After the AAU nationals, the team travelled north to the Canadian city of Vancouver, where the state of British Columbia was celebrating a centenary of the Canadian Federation. A swimming gala was held at the University of Columbia outdoor pool, with swimmers from the British Commonwealth competing.

Here Karen also met Canadian star Elaine Tanner, with whom she would have many future encounters. Tanner had previous experience of Karen Muir in action - she had been in Blackpool the previous summer - when the 12 year-old set a new world record in her own event - which was something she probably never forgot. Tanner was to travel to South Africa in the next year - to brace Karen Muir in her own backyard.

Karen's 7th world record was for the 220-yard individual medley. Karen and Elaine Tanner finished tie in the race - well, sort of. Karen's timekeepers recorded her with the fastest time at 2:32,0 and Tanner with a time of 2:32,1. However, the (Canadian) touch judges claimed that Elaine had touched first.

FINA had previously decreed that world record could be shared, but the lawyer Harry Getz - President of SAASU, argued against Karen Muir being awarded the world record. He claimed the Canadians had not heard about the time Claudia Kolb had done at the US championships, where Karen and the rest of the team had just competed. Kolb had done a time of 2:7,8 in the 50m metric pool at Lincoln. 

In South Africa, the South African Amateur Swimming Union, headed by Cape Town lawyer Harry Getz, refused to credit her with the record (they also did not recognise the world records set by Jonty Skinner and Peter Williams). In 1968 SAASU also refused to recognise Karen Muir's world record for the 200m backstroke set in Los Angeles, until Karen van Helden beat the then-official SA record time of 2:24,1 in a time of 2:23,8 - equal to Muir's unrecognised time. Only then did SAASU agree to accept Karen Muir's 2:23,8 world record, which Karen van Helden eventually did break on 8th March 1978, in 2:21,4. 

After the gala in Vancouver, the Springboks made their way back to South Africa. It is hard to imagine the effects of an extended overseas tour on a 13-year-old girl from a dorp like Kimberley – particularly one known to be shy and without her mother nearby for support. Karen was to receive a hero's welcome in Johannesburg, where the SAASU management turned out, with the local mayor - and another when she eventually arrived in her hometown of Kimberley.

By September 1966 Karen was back at school. At Diamantveld Hoërskool she was awarded her full colours for swimming - the school's highest accolade for a sportsman. This honour is usually reserved for older pupils - but in Karen's case they are an exception! Life returned normal - Karen and her sister Linda were selected to swim for their province against Northern Transvaal, while coach Frank Gray had to deal with the perpetual problem of South African swim coaches - pool time.

Ann Fairlie returned from the extended overseas tour to focus on what was a priority - catching up on her schoolwork for matric. The tours were to hurt Ann's schooling, as she failed matric that year and declined to tour the next year, as she had to repeat. No doubt this too had an impact on Karen and her parent's view of her jet-setting. While Karen and Ann may have been competing in faraway places like France and Canada and overseas travel was still unknown to most South Africans, life at home and school and the swimming squad remained the main focus of everyday life. 

1967 - big change and another momentous year for Karen Muir.

At the end of 1966 Karen's father accepted a post at Onderstepoort Veterinary School near Pretoria, so the whole family was to move to the northern Transvaal. It was headline news in Kimberley - their darling was leaving! In Pretoria, Karen was to train under Australian coach Bob Campbell. That meant leaving her first coach Frank Gray, and the life she had just begun at Diamantveld High School in Kimberley. The move must have been an unhappy one, as she was to return to Kimberley and Frank Gray by the end of the year. 

In 1967 the big swimming news for the coming year was the visit by a Canadian team, which included Elaine Tanner. During the winter the Springboks toured Holland, Spain and England, and in December 1967 US star Don Schollander toured around the country. Ann Fairlie missed the European tour that year, having to make up for failed matric the year before, which underlined the impact of these tours on Karen’s academic life.

In February 1967, while swimming in Northern Transvaal colours at nationals at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Karen was challenged by visiting Canadian champion Elaine Tanner, who won 5 SA titles, while Karen took three. Her local rival Ann Fairlie had broken with her coach Cecil Colwin – and decamped to Kimberley to be coached by Frank Gray! 

In July 1967 the Springboks once again embarked on an extended tour of Europe, competing at Tarasa in Spain, and the 'Seven Hills' Tournament in Rome, ending the tour with a gala against the British team at Coventry. The tour was to be a stormy one not only for Karen, who delayed her departure to spend more time on her schoolwork. She joined the team in Holland on the 30th of June 1966. Karen was accompanied by a “personal chaperone” – a journalist from Die Beeld newspaper, who also shared Karen’s hotel room. This caused some problems within the team, and in the end, Karen's father flew to London after reading reports about some unhappiness caused by the SAASU official's treatment of their star swimmer. He threatened to take her home immediately. However, the matter was resolved, and Karen swam against British champion Linda Ludgrove at the event in Coventry. 

By the end of 1967, Karen was back in Kimberley, competing for Griquas and training with Frank Gray and at Hoërskool Diamantveld, where she matriculated in 1970.  Ann Fairlie had decided to quit swimming.

1968 started with more world records

Now aged 15 Karen was in standard 8, and the big news was the possibility of South Africa being allowed to compete in the 1968 Olympic Games, after being barred from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. 

The Canadian girls were again expected to swim at the SA nationals in Bloemfontein and US Olympic hero Don Schollander was touring South Africa.

After his visit, Schollander later wrote about an encounter with Karen, during which she gave him a note, asking for his help in getting South Africa back into the Olympics. Her plea was that all her life – all she had lived and trained for – was the chance to prove herself in the Olympics. After the IOC officially voted to include South Africa in February, SAASU even went so far as to pick a team to compete – only to be told at the last moment that they would not be allowed to compete.

The 1968 South African swimming championships were held in Bloemfontein that year and featured the team from Canada. Unfortunately, Karen suffered a swimmer's shoulder injury and failed to compete in most of her usual championship events. Elaine Tanner of Canada won both the backstroke events. 

Karen did win the 220-yard freestyle at nationals and was selected to swim for  South Africa against the Canadians in a Test, where she beat Elaine Tanner in the 100m backstroke. 

After nationals and the Test against Canada, Karen swam at the South African Schools Championships, before leaving for another extended tour overseas. 

After returning home for two months, Karen embarks on another trip to the USA. In early June 1968, she moves to Johannesburg with her mother, to train at the indoor pool of the Sumitt Club in Hillbrow. Kimberley lacked any heated swimming facilities, and despite the sunny weather, temperatures often dipped below freezing during the winter months.

There was talk of her swimming at the ASA nationals at Blackpool in August, but nothing ever came of the suggestion, because "her entry was too late". She was also scheduled to swim in the Canadian nationals, until they decided to make their event "a closed affair".

The US swimming control body reacted to Karen's banning from the Olympics by staging a "mini Olympics" at Santa Clara. At this event on the 8th of June 1968, Karen broke the US record for the 100m backstroke, beating Elaine Tanner and American Kaye Hall. Hall was to win the 100m backstroke at the Mexico City Olympic Games on the 23rd of October 1968. Hall set a new world record, beating Karen's world record time by 0,2 of a second, while Karen was back in Kimberley studying for her end-of-year exams!

After the Santa Clara meet, Karen travelled up to Los Angeles, to swim in the annual Los Angeles Invitational. 

At the American AAU Championships held in Lincoln, Nebraska, Karen won the 200m backstroke in a meet record but failed to beat her time set in Los Angeles. In the 100m backstroke, she beats Ann Fairlie's meet record from 1966 and sets a new US record of 1:06,9.

Karen returns home, to school, while the rest of the swimming world competes in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, where Kaye Hall breaks Karen's 100m world record, while Pokey Watson of the USA wins the 200m backstroke in 2:24, 8 - a full second slower than Karen's world record set in Los Angeles.

In January 1969 a strong contingent of American girls visited South Africa – Jan Henne, Sue Perdeson and Linda Gustavson, who had won gold silver and bronze at the 1968 Olympic Games, where Pam Kruse won silver in the 800m freestyle.

At a gala in Cape Town on 8^th January 1969 Karen Muir beat Linda Gustavson into second place in the 220-yard freestyle. Gustavson had won silver in the 400 freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle at the Mexico Olympic Games. 

The 1969 South African national swimming championships were held at the 55 yard Newlands pool in Cape Town. For Karen Muir, it was probably a small affair, compared to the galas she had swum in over the past year, but for South African swimming it was a fantastic occasion, which produced some remarkable races. Karen Muir would set a world record, and a South African record for winning six individual titles. 

On the 14^th of March 1969, Karen swam at the SA Schools gala, also held at Bloemfontein’s Stadium Pool, where she won both the events she competed in.

The 1969 South African Games started in Bloemfontein during the following week, where Karen was selected to open the event. She set a new SA record for the 200 IM but made no effort to break the backstroke world mark. Besides the effects of swimming at altitude, the Stadium pool in Bloemfontein was heated, but rather too shallow in one end, and not compliant with the FINA standard of 1,8m for a competition pool.

On the 12^th of April 1969, the Beach Baths in Durban was the venue for the Top Ten Age Group gala - the top ten swimmers in each event and each age group were invited to swim. Karen went down the Durban 19 days early, to swim with Alex Bulley and prepare for an attempt on the 100m-backstroke world record. On the day she could only manage a time of 1:08,3, which was 2,1 seconds slower than the meters record held by American Kaye Hall.

Before her final European tour, Karen started training with Alex Bulley in Durban, in May 1969, as Frank Gray was moving to coach in Sasolburg. This must have been a challenging situation for Karen, who was in the penultimate year of high school, with her sights set on getting into medical school at the University of Orange Free State in Bloemfontein after finishing matric in 1970.

1970 - Matric  

With her final year at Diamandveld Hoërskool and matric exams looming, Karen was scaling back her swimming to ensure she did well enough in the exams to qualify for a place at medical school. 

In March 1970, at the Hillcrest pool in Pretoria, Karen swam for Griquas in the SA championships, where she won the 100-meter backstroke in 1:07,4.  She also won the 100 butterfly in a new SA record and won the 200 and 400 IM, without getting anywhere near world record times. She was now in the final year of high school and focused on her studies, to realize her lifelong ambition of becoming a doctor.

Earlier in the year Springbok swimmers competed against Rhodesia – without Karen, while in March 1970 she did compete against the touring Australians Allyson Mabb, Lynn Watson, and Karen Moras.

1972  - Karen Muir with Springbok and Rhodesian swimmers