Marie Braun


Maria "Marie" Johanna Philipsen-Braun, also known as Zus Braun, was a Dutch swimmer. She competed at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics and won a gold medal in the 100 m backstroke and a silver in the 400 m freestyle in 1928. She failed to reach the finals of these events at the 1932 Games due to a sudden illness. During her career Braun set six world and 25 national records.
Braun was the daughter of the prominent Dutch swimming coach Ma Braun. She had her first international success at the 1927 European Championships, where she won one gold and two bronze medals in the 100 m and 4 × 100 m freestyle and 100 m backstroke. She won gold medals in these events at the next European championships in 1931. Braun was a favorite at the 1928 Olympics, but after swimming 400 m heats she was hospitalized with a strong fever, and retired from swimming shortly after that. In 1980, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.