Karen Muir of South Africa, the youngest-ever world record holder in any sport, passed away yesterday at the age of 60 due to breast cancer.

During her athletic career, Muir set 15 world marks in the backstroke and became the youngest person to hold a world record by winning the 110y backstroke aged 12, at the 1965 ASA National Junior Championships in Blackpool, England.

She never competed at the Olympics because of the sports boycott imposed on her country.

In 1980, Muir was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.