Maroney, Susie (1974-…), was a champion Australian marathon swimmer. Maroney set six world records during her 18-year career. She is best known for setting the women’s record for the two-way crossing of the English Channel . In 1991, at the age of 16, she swam the Channel from England to France and then from France to England in 17 hours 14 minutes.
Maroney first received recognition as a long-distance swimmer in 1989, when she placed third in the Australian Marathon Swimming Championships. In 1990, at the age of 15, Maroney became the fastest and youngest Australian to swim the English Channel. In 1997, she was the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, swimming in a cage to protect her from sharks. In 1998, she swam a record 122 miles (197 kilometers) from Mexico to Cuba.
Susan Jean Maroney was born on Nov. 15, 1974, in Cronulla, a suburb of Sydney, in New South Wales. She was born with cerebral palsy, a disorder that often affects muscle control and may cause other symptons. She later developed asthma . Maroney began swimming at the age of 3 to fight the effects of asthma. By the age of 7, she was competing in short races. At the age of 13, she decided to concentrate on long-distance events. In 1993, Maroney was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), the nation’s highest award for service to the country. She retired as a long-distance swimmer in 2003.
