Barbara Jensen
{{Short description|American swimmer (1929–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Barbara Jensen
| image = Barbara Jensen 1946.jpg
| image_size = 225px
| alt =
| caption = Jensen in 1946
| fullname = Barbara Jayne Jensen
| nicknames =
| national_team = {{USA}}
| strokes = Backstroke
| club = Athens Athletic Club
| collegeteam =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|9|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|12|20|1929|9|15}}[http://www.whitesittfuneralhome.com/obits/obituary.php?id=710403 Barbara Jensen's obituary]
| death_place =Ravalli, Montana, U.S.
| height =
| weight =
| medaltemplates =
}}
Barbara Jayne Jensen (later Reeve, later Jackson, September 15, 1929 – December 20, 2018) was an American competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She competed in the semifinals of the 100-meter backstroke and finished fifth with a time of 1:19.1.
Early life and education
Jensen was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Colma,{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2002 |title=Profiling Barbara Jensen Reeve Jackson |url=https://www.usms.org/en/fitness-and-training/articles-and-videos/articles/profiling-barbara-jensen-reeve-jackson?Oldid=1656 |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=US Masters Swimming |language=en}} the daughter of Mattrup Jay Jensen and Edna Quinn Jensen. Her father managed a cemetery in Colma.{{Cite news |date=1964-02-12 |title=M. Jay Jensen is Dead at 62 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-m-jay-jensen-is-dead-at-62/146540599/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The Times |pages=61 |via=Newspapers.com}} Her Danish-born grandfather was the first mayor of Colma.{{Cite news |date=1957-09-13 |title=Colma's First Mayor Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-colmas-first/146540691/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} She learned to swim at the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco and started competing around the age of 12. She then trained at the Athens Athletic Club in Oakland, and returned to San Francisco in 1949.{{Cite news |date=1948-11-09 |title=Barbara Jensen, Swim Star, Quits Oakland for S.F. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oakland-post-enquirer-barbara-jensen/146538899/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The Oakland Post Enquirer |pages=17}} At age 44, she earned a master's degree in sociology from Saint Xavier University in Chicago.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Obituary for Barbara (Jensen) Jackson |url=https://www.whitesittfuneralhome.com/obituary/Barbara-Jackson |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=Whitesitt Funeral Home & Cremation Service |language=en}}
Swimming careers
In 1945, aged 15, she broke the national record in the 100 m backstroke. She represented the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.{{Cite news |date=1949-05-12 |title=Barbara Jensen, Nat'l. Swim Star, Enters Championship Meet Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-independent-journal-barbara-jensen/146539122/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=Daily Independent Journal |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Jensen was a member of the national team in 1949–50. In 1949 she won the AAU titles in the 110-yard and 220-yard backstroke outdoors, and in the 220-yard backstroke indoors.{{Cite news |date=1949-04-23 |title=Miss Jensen Wins Two Swim Titles; Takes 200-Yard Back-Stroke and 300-Yard Medley at National A. A. U. Meet |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1949/04/23/archives/miss-jensen-wins-two-swim-titles-takes-200yard-backstroke-and.html |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |date=1949-04-23 |title=Barbara Jensen Twin Swim Wins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nevada-state-journal-barbara-jensen-twin/146539027/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=Nevada State Journal |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} The same year she was runner-up for the James E. Sullivan Award.{{cite Sports-Reference|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/je/barbara-jensen-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418054555/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/je/barbara-jensen-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 18, 2020|title=Barbara Jensen|access-date=November 16, 2012}}{{Cite news |date=1950-01-04 |title=Skater Named Top Amateur Athlete |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ponca-city-news-skater-named-top-ama/146538716/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The Ponca City News |pages=7 |via=Newspapers.com}} and placed fifth in the voting for female Athlete of the Year in the annual Associated Press poll of sports writers.{{Cite news |last=Talbot |first=Gayle |date=1950-01-13 |title=Golfer Bauer Named 1949 Gal Athlete |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/victoria-advocate-golfer-bauer-named-194/146538484/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=Victoria Advocate |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}
In the early 1950s, after she married, Barbara Jensen Reeve was a swimmer with the Chicago Town Club.{{Cite news |last=Angelopolous |first=Angelo |date=1952-07-01 |title=Ripple Becoming Town Club Home |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-ripple-becoming-to/146539407/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The Indianapolis News |pages=17 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1972 she began competing in masters swimming. Between 1972 and 1979 she won 42 national titles and set eight national or world records in the backstroke.{{Cite news |date=1977-08-28 |title=Maxine Merlino adds two records |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-maxine-merlino-adds/146539741/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=The Spokesman-Review |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} She semi-retired in 1980 for health reasons, but resumed competing in 1997, winning her national titles in the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke. She was active in the U.S. Masters Swimming organization as a volunteer and attended the 1975 and 1999 national conventions.
Personal life
Jensen married twice and had four children. She survived cancer in the 1980s. She died in 2018, at the age of 89, in Ravalli, Montana.
References
{{Commons category|Barbara Jensen}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 1948 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen, Barbara}}
Category:American female backstroke swimmers
Category:Olympic swimmers for the United States
Category:Swimmers from San Francisco
Category:Swimmers at the 1948 Summer Olympics