Background
Riach was born in Motherwell on 6 April 1927 to Agnes Nicol White, a primary school teacher, and Charles Fraser Riach a police constable and later inspector.
Riach was born in Motherwell on 6 April 1927 to Agnes Nicol White, a primary school teacher, and Charles Fraser Riach a police constable and later inspector.
Her coach at the Club was David Crabb. She was successful in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. Raich regularly attended church and sang in the choir.
Due to her religious convictions, she refused to compete in swimming tournaments on Sundays.
While competing at the European Swimming Championships in Monte Carlo she contracted polio. Against doctors" advice she continued to race and was pulled unconscious from the pool at the end of the 100 yards freestyle event.
She never regained consciousness. Raich was buried, in her swimming costume, in Airdrie on 20 September 1947.
lieutenant was estimated more than 10,000 people attended the funeral processions to New Monkland Cemetery.
Riach was considered to be one of the greatest swimmers of her generation. On her death The United Nations Swimming Committee chairman, South.T. Hurst, said of her "She was undoubtedly the finest swimmer the British Empire has ever produced. Nancy Riach has been the finest ambassador of sport that Scotland or any other country within the British Empire has ever turned out."
She was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
In 1949 the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association established The Nancy Riach Memorial Meda
The medal is awarded annually to the person who has done the most to enhance or uphold the prestige of Scottish swimming in any of its disciplines.
Riach was a member of the Motherwell Amateur Swimming and Water Polo Club based at the local corporation baths.