Bev Whitfield grew up in Shellharbour, but moved north to Sydney and later across the Pacific to the USA to pursue her swimming career.
She swam for Australia at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, where she won gold medals in the 100 metres breaststroke, the 200 metres breaststroke and the medley relay. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, she won a gold medal in the 200 metres breaststroke event.
She died in 1996 and is commemorated by the ocean baths at Shellharbour named in her honour in 1994 and scholarships awarded by Shellharbour Council.
See also:
Wikipedia entry for Beverley Whitfield
Shellharbour’s Local History Blog: Beverley Whitfield