Jeannette Altwegg

Jeannette Eleanor Wirz CBE (née Altwegg; 8 September 1930 – 18 June 2021) was a British figure skater who competed in ladies' singles. She was the 1952 Olympic champion, the 1948 Olympic bronze medalist, the 1951 World champion, and a double (1951 & 1952) European champion. Life and career Early life Altwegg was born on 8 September 1930 in Bombay, India. She was raised in Liverpool , the daughter of a Scottish mother and Swiss father. She was a competitive tennis player, reaching the junior finals at Wimbledon in 1947 before giving up the sport to focus on skating. Skating career Altwegg was coached by Jacques Gerschwiler and was known for her strong compulsory figures. She won bronze at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, finishing third behind Barbara Ann Scott of Canada and Eva Pawlik of Austria. In 1951, she stood atop the podium at the European Championships in Zurich and at the World Championships in Milan.