Olive McKean

Olive McKean
McKean in 1936
Personal information
Full nameMary Olive McKean
National team United States
Born(1915-08-10)August 10, 1915
Chehalis, Washington, U.S.
DiedMarch 31, 2006(2006-03-31) (aged 90)
Troutdale, Oregon, U.S.
SpouseCharles Mucha
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubWashington Athletic Club
CoachRay Daughters (WAC)
Medal record
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
1936 Berlin4×100 m freestyle

Mary Olive McKean (August 10, 1915 – March 31, 2006), also known by her married name Olive Mucha, was an American competition swimmer, swimming coach, and American record holder, who represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, winning a bronze medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Olive McKean was born August 10, 1915, in Chehalis, Washington. The family moved to Seattle, where Olive did her earliest swimming at Seattle's Green Lake. Ray Daughters, the talented Hall of Fame coach of the Washington Athletic Club, saw Olive in a race and offered her a scholarship to the highly competitive swimming program.

She met her future husband Chuck Mucha, who had played football at the University of Washington, at the Washington Athletic Club. Mucha had been an All-Coast guard for Washington in 1935, and had competed in swimming for the Washington swim team. The couple were married in the Seattle area around October 24, 1936. In 1936 Mucha coached Freshman football at Washington, and would later coach Physical Education and swimming for twelve years at Benson High School in Portland, Oregon, after the couple moved to Portland.