NANCY STEADMAN MARTIN

My Dad, Dick Steadman, was a swim coach, so I learned to swim at age 3. I grew up on the beach and always enjoyed swimming in the ocean. My first open water swim was at age 11, in a 4-mile race that went across the Hudson from Nyack to Tarrytown. I swam when I went to college at Monmouth, where my Dad coached. The pool is now named after him. I have always loved competing so I entered masters swim competitions when I turned 25 (25-29 was the youngest age group at the time). My Mom got back into swimming at age 58, shortly after I got into masters swimming. She was inducted into the Masters Swimming International Hall of Fame in 2022. My first Masters WR was the 200 Backstroke in 2009, which I swam in order to stay ahead of my Mom's times because she only competed in backstroke! I recently set the 400 IM in LCM at Masters Nationals in 2024 in the 70-74 age group. In Jan. 2025, I set the 800 SCM & 1500 SCM World Records. (800 was done on the way in 1500). In March 2025, I set the NR in the 500 SCY & 1000 SCY. The 500 was also done on the way. I recently won the Masters OW Championships in the mile and 5K in Sarasota. Swimming in open water will always be my favorite place to swim and I'm lucky to live close to beach on the Jersey Shore. I am a Triple Crown Swimmer - Manhattan Island (4 times), Catalina Channel, and English Channel. I did the English Channel in 2004 at age 50 and hold the record for 50 & over females. I am a lawyer in my working profession, but I identify as a Mermaid! I'm very fortunate to be a Mighty Mermaid and our group, from around the country , come together every summer to do a relay swim and have been doing so for the past 20 years. Christie Ciraulo is the one who put us together and I am very thankful for that! . We have done the Triple Crown also (English Channel in 2O19). My Dad gave me the gift of life and the gift of swimming and the love of water.