Irene Steer

{{Short description|British swimmer (1889–1977)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox swimmer

|name=

|image=Irene Steer 1912 (cropped).jpg

|image_size =

|caption=Steer at 1912 Olympics

|birth_date=10 August 1889

|birth_place=Cardiff, Wales

|death_date=18 April 1977 (aged 87)

|death_place=Cardiff, Wales

| height =

| weight =

|sport=Swimming

|club=Cardiff Ladies Premier SC

|alma_mater=

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{GBR2}} }}

{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}

{{MedalGold| 1912 Stockholm | 4×100 m freestyle}}

}}

Irene Steer (10 August 1889 – 18 April 1977) was a Welsh freestyle swimmer.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/47152 |title=Irene Steer |work=Olympedia |access-date=8 June 2021}} She is one of only six Welsh women who have won Olympic gold medals, the others being Nicole Cooke (cycling, 2008), Jade Jones (taekwondo, 2012, 2016), Hannah Mills (sailing 2016, 2020), Elinor Barker (cycling, 2016) and Lauren Price (boxing, 2020). In 1912, Steer won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay and failed to reach the final of the individual 100 m race.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/irene-steer-1.html |title=Irene Steer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110195500/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/irene-steer-1.html |archive-date=10 November 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/irene-steer |title=Irene Steer |website=Olympic.org |publisher=International Olympic Committee |access-date=20 February 2021}}{{dead link|date=October 2024}}

Steer started as a breaststroke swimmer, but in 1908–1909 changed to crawl. After retiring from competitions she married William Nicholson, director and chairman of Cardiff City F.C. They had three daughters and one son.{{cite news |first=Jo |last=Manning |date=11 August 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7554196.stm |title=First Champ 'Would Be Thrilled' |publisher=BBC News}}