Clara LaMore

Clara LaMore

Personal information
Full name	Catherine Clara LaMore
National team	United States
Born	(1926-07-02) July 2, 1926 Providence, Rhode Island
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke
Club	Olneyville Boys' Club

Catherine Clara LaMore (born July 2, 1926), also known by her married name Clara Walker, is an American former competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. LaMore competed in the preliminary heats of the women's 200-meter breaststroke and recorded a time of 3:23.6.

LaMore won the AAU breaststroke titles over 200 m (outdoor, 1945), 100 yd (indoor, 1947) and 220 yd (indoor, 1948). She semi-retired from swimming after the 1948 Olympics, graduated from Providence College and worked for a telephone company. She later became a teacher and a guidance counselor at Western Hills Middle School. By 1980 she developed a chronic back pain and resumed swimming upon advise from a doctor. She became the most decorated master swimmer of all times, setting more that 180 world and 465 American records. She was selected the Outstanding Masters Swimmer in her age group for eight consecutive years and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1995.

LaMore was born in a postman's family. She learned to swim in 1941, and during her early career was trained by her mother Irene. She married the Naval officer Doneal Walker, and for seven years lived with him in Europe until his sudden death in 1970.