SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian swimming great Dawn Fraser is recovering in a Queensland hospital after a nasty fall last week left the 87-year-old with four broken ribs and in need of emergency hip surgery.
Fraser, widely regarded as the finest female sprint swimmer of all time, won the 100 metres freestyle gold at the three successive Olympics from 1956 to 1964 and set 27 individual world records over her glittering career.
“Mum has scared the daylights out of us,” her daughter Dawn- Lorraine Ware said in a media statement late on Monday.
“But to see her up and about today is the best Christmas present we could have asked for. She is one tough lady.”
Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman also welcomed the news that Fraser was recovering well.
“Dawn Fraser is an icon of Olympic sport and like so many Australians we are pleased to hear she is making good progress after her surgery,” he said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with Dawn and we wish her well in her recovery.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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