Eileen Fenton: key obituary facts
Is Eileen Fenton dead? Yes. Eileen Fenton died on August 23, 2026, at age 98.
Cause of death: Eileen Fenton's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Eileen Fenton known for?
She was a first woman to swim the English Channel.
More about Eileen Fenton
Born: 1 January 1928.
Gender: female.
Eileen Fenton, the British swimmer who became the first woman to swim the English Channel, died on August 23, 2026, aged 98.
Born in June 1928, she completed the crossing on 26 September 1950 as a competitor in the first Daily Mail Channel Race, finishing in 15 hours 31 minutes. Among 24 entrants, fewer than half finished, and Fenton received a winner’s cheque of £1,000.
In 2019, she was appointed MBE for voluntary service to long-distance and competitive swimming coaching in Yorkshire and Great Britain.