Irene May Guest (July 22, 1900 – June 14, 1970), also known by her married nameIrene Loog, was an American competitionswimmer, 1920 Olympic champion in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, and world record-holder.[2]
Early in her swimming career at 17 in April, 1918, while representing the local YMCA she took second place in the Middle Atlanta AAU 220-yard title swim, with a time of 3:14.6.[3]
At the 1920 Olympic trails, swimming for Philadelphia's Meadowbrook Club, Guest placed third in the 100-meter freestyle, qualifying for her for the Olympic games.[4]
Travelling with the team, Guest represented the United States as a 19-year-old at the1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, where she received a pair of medals.[5] She received her first medal in thewomen's 100-meter freestyle in which she finished second behind fellow AmericanEthelda Bleibtrey, earning a silver medal with a time of 1:17.0. Though Guest won her preliminary heat in a time of 1:18.8 and made a nearly two-second improvement in the final, she was unable to beat Bleibtrey’s new world record of 1:13.6.[6][5][7]
In the Middle Atlantic AAU Diving Championship in Philadelphia in February 1921, while representing the Meadowbrook Athletic Club, Guest swam a 1:09 in the 100 freestyle, defeating frequent rival Elizabeth Becker.[9] At the March 1921 National Women's Indoor championship in New Jersey, Guest took second in the women's 100-yard Open Final.[10]
Guest attended and swam for Temple University in Philadelphia.[1] In 1920, at a meeting of the Temple University Women's Club, she played selected violin pieces.[11] In February, 1921, swimming for the Meadowbrook Athletic Club, guest won the 100-yard freestyle event in a time of 1:09 minutes at the Middle Atlantic AAU Championship, with Elizabeth Beck placing second.[12]
