Shoshana Ribner

Shoshana Ribner was born in 1938 in Vienna

Shoshana Ribner was born in Vienna, Austria, on February 20, 1938. Her family immigrated to the Land of Israel when she was an infant.

At 13 she joined the Brit Maccabi Atid swimming club of Tel Aviv, coached by Nachum Buch. In 1952 she set a new Israeli record in the 100 meter freestyle. At the 1953 Maccabiah Games she won gold medals in the 100 meter and 400 meter freestyle.

In 1955 she became the first Israeli woman to swim the 100 meter freestyle in under 1:10, and she was named Israel's Athlete of the Year. She held 8 Israeli records in freestyle, butterfly and individual medley events.

At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics she swam the 100 meter freestyle in 1:10.3 and did not advance to the final. She won 2 gold and 2 silver medals at the 1957 Maccabiah Games. In 1998 she was named to a list of 50 Israeli athletes in the country's history.

Her son, Damon Fialkov, was Israel's 200 meter backstroke champion in 1981. She died on June 29, 2007.