Virginia Ruth Duenkel is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Duenkel medaled in two individual swimming events as a 17-year old. First, she won a gold medal for her first-place finish in the women's 400-meter freestyle. Then she received a bronze medal for her third-place performance in the women's 100-meter backstroke. Duenkel inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1985. "Ginny Duenkel Municipal Pool" in her hometown of West Orange, New Jersey was named in her honor. She attended West Orange High School. The Chris and Ginny Fuldner Aquatic Center in Monett, Missouri is named in honor of Ginny and her contributions to the sport of swimming in Monett, which includes founding the Monett Waterthrashers Swim team which spawned the swim team at Monett High School 

March 7th, 1947 in City of Orange Township (Age 78) as Virginia Ruth Duenkel