Karen Moras

Who is Karen Moras?

Karen Lynne Moras, known after marriage as Karen Moras-Stephenson was an Australian distance freestyle swimmer of the 1960s and 1970s who won a bronze medal in the 400 m freestyle at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Although she set multiple world records she peaked between Olympics and was unable to capture gold at Olympic level.

Trained by Forbes Carlile, and making her international debut as a fourteen year-old prodigy, Moras was expected to win medals at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. She struggled, however, to adapt to the rarefied air at high altitude conditions and required medical treatment for breathing difficulties and hyperventilation. Despite this Moras managed to salvage a bronze medal in the 400 m freestyle, behind the American duo of Debbie Meyer and Linda Gustavson. She nearly claimed a second bronze in the 800 m freestyle, being beaten into fourth by 0.1 s by Mexico's Maria Teresa Ramírez who was much more adapted to the local conditions.

In 1970 Moras broke the 800 m freestyle world record at the Australian Championships, qualifying for the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.