{{short description|American diver}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Infobox sportsperson |name= |image=Helen Meany.jpg | image_size = 230px |caption=Janicke |birth_date= December 15, 1904 |birth_place=New York City, U.S. |death_date=July 21, 1991 (aged 86) |death_place= Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. | height = 152 cm | weight = |sport=Diving |club= Women's Swimming Association |alma_mater= | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}} {{MedalOlympics}} {{MedalGold| 1928 Amsterdam | 3 m springboard}} }}

'''Helen Meany''' (later ''Gravis'', December 15, 1904 – July 21, 1991) was an American diver who competed at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51119 |title=Helen Meany |work=Olympedia |access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref> In 1920 she was eliminated in the first round of the 10 m platform competition. Four years later, she finished fifth in the 10 m platform. In 1928, she won the gold medal in the 3 m springboard.<ref name=sr/>

Meany was the first American female diver to compete at three Olympics. Domestically, she won 17 AAU titles in 1920–1928 before appearing in paid exhibitions that disqualified her as an amateur.<ref name=sr/> In September 1930 she married Harry Balfe.<ref name=r1/> In 1971 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.<ref name=ishof/>

==External links== {{commons category|Helen Meany}} <references>

<ref name=ishof>{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/helen-meany-(usa).html |title=HELEN MEANY (USA) 1971 Honor Diver |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=International Swimming Hall of Fame |access-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802123355/http://www.ishof.org/helen-meany-(usa).html |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418111641/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/helen-meany-1.html |title=Helen Meany |archive-date=2020-04-18 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/helen-meany-1.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=r1>:File:Helen Meany weds Harry Balfe 1930.jpg</ref>

</references> ==External links== *{{olympics.com|helen-meany}} *{{FAG}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Diving Women 3 Metre Springboard}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meany, Helen}} Category:1904 births Category:1991 deaths Category:Divers from New York City Category:American female divers Category:Divers at the 1920 Summer Olympics Category:Divers at the 1924 Summer Olympics Category:Divers at the 1928 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in diving Category:Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Category:20th-century American sportswomen

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