With the very sad news of Ann Curtis Cuneo's passing last week at the age of 86, we look back on her storied swimming career as a Golden Bear and beyond.

The San Francisco native began swimming at nine years old and the sport played a huge role throughout her life.

Cuneo, who graduated Cal in 1948, is one of the Golden Bears' best swimmers of all-time. She totaled 34 National AAU Championships and was the recipient of the Sullivan Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate athlete in 1948.

Cuneo went on to win two gold medals and one silver medal as a freestyle swimmer at the 1948 London Olympics (the last time the games were held in London). t that time there were only five Olympic swimming events for women and participants were limited to swimming only three events. Cuneo set two world records, in the 880 yard and 440 yard freestyle events.

It was at Cal where she met her husband, Gordon Cuneo, in 1949.

Honored as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, she was also the cover girl on the front of Colliers, Newsweek and several other national magazines in 1948. She was later inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer in 1966 and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.

Inducted into the California Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979, Cuneo remained involved in the sport of swimming following her competitive career. She founded the Ann Curtis School of Swimming in San Rafael in 1959.

As you watch the Olympics later this month in London, I hope you remember who represented the Golden Bears the last time the games were in the city. In the meantime, read this great feature on the swimming legend in today's Marin Independent Journal. You can also view her full obituary here.