Françoise Letellier
She started with swimming on the advice of the family doctor to improve her lung capacity. In July 1927, she obtained her school swimming certificate. Her first main achievement is in 1933, winning the bronze medal at the national championships in the 200 metre breaststroke in a time of 3:40.6. Two years later she won again the bronze medal at the national championships, now in a time of 3:34. At the end of the year she broke the national record of the 100 metre breaststroke in a time of 1:31 at the Gare swimming pool in Paris on 20 December. In 1936, 1937 and 1938 she became national champion in the 200 metre breaststroke. While she was 1936 national champion,  she was not selected for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. At the end of 1936 she broke the national record in the 200 metre breaststroke in a time of 3:19.8 at the Neptuna swimming pool in Paris on 28 November. After setting the new record record, she was checked to see if she was wearing a slip under her jersey. The next year she broke the record again at the Neptuna swimming pool in a time of  3:18.4 on 21 July 1937.