It would be impossible to list the highlights of Doris Brennan Weir's athletic career without omitting some accomplishment, title, or record. She was simply among the finest female swimmers in the world.
Doris captured five national swimming championships, set a world record for the 300-yard medley swim, and was a member of the 1940 United States Olympic Team.
She was barely a teenager when she began dominating the New England swimming picture, and national fame followed closely behind. In the region, Doris captured every junior and senior championship possible and shattered records in each event.
On a national level, success came just as easily. Doris swam to five United States titles, taking top honors in the 880-yard freestyle, mile, 200-yard butterfly, 300 meter medley, and 300-yard medley. Her world record time of 4:32.2 in that final even would stand for years after.
At the University's Sargent College, Doris would also be a success. She was elected president of the Athletic Association and received the Athletic Award as a senior, the highest honor given by the ROTC regiment.
It would have been perfect it this brilliant young lady could have completed her competitive career by performing in the 1940 Olympics, slated for Helsinki. She just missed a spot with the 1936 team, but earned a position on her second chance. World War II, however, prevented her dream from coming true...the Games were cancelled.
This disappointment probably hastened her decision to stop racing competitvely, but Doris continued to give back to the sport she loved. She would work extensively with youth clubs, starting with the Smith Hill Girls Club, and serving as an assistant to the director. Years later, her efforts were instrumental in the construction of swimming facilities in the city of Warwick, RI.
