Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser has had a hip replacement after a fall last week, her family has confirmed.
The 87-year-old is considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time after winning Olympic gold in the 100m freestyle across three games — 1956, 1960, and 1964.
She was also the first woman to break the minute barrier for the 100m freestyle.
Family friend Ian Hanson said he had spoken to Fraser on Monday and she was back up walking again after emergency surgery last Thursday.
Mr Hanson said Fraser broke her hip and four ribs in a fall five days ago.
The former Swimming Australia media manager said Fraser was at her daughter's home on the Sunshine Coast when she fell last Wednesday.
"Dawn is already making amazing progress — her doctors reading her the riot act for walking too far," Mr Hanson said.
"She greeted family and friends today with a smile, determined to get out of bed by herself and walking through the hospital with all of her grit and determination that made her one of the all-time greats of Olympic sport."
Dawn Fraser at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame awards in Melbourne last month. (AAP: Joel Carrett)
Mr Hanson said Fraser had been supported by daughter Dawn-Lorraine and grandson Jackson, who "have been by her side through what has been a frightening ordeal".
When he spoke to her on Monday he told her: "I heard you've been having a bit of a rough trot. I want you to make sure that you hit this last turn and bring in the six-beat kick and get off that turn as hard as you can."
Fraser replied: "I've come off the turn, Hanso, and I'm on the way home."
'One tough lady'
Dawn-Lorraine Fraser said her mother had "scared the daylights out of us".
"But to see her up and about today is the best Christmas present we could have asked for … she is one tough lady," she said.
"Huge thanks to the doctors and nursing staff who have been amazing. I can't thank them enough. They could not be happier with mum's progress."
Mr Hanson said Fraser would remain in hospital for rehabilitation and the family asked that she be given privacy to continue her recovery.
'A living treasure'
Earlier, Swimming Australia CEO Rob Woodhouse said he had spoken to Fraser's family.
"Dawn is a living treasure, an icon of our sport. We wish her a speedy, healthy, and full recovery."
Fraser has continued to attend sporting events and dinners supporting Australian athletes.
She was spotted at the Australian Golf Open in Melbourne on November 30, and was also in the stands at this year's Paris Olympics cheering on the Australian swimmers.
Fraser is an eight-time Olympic medallist, including four gold and four silver.
She was the first swimmer of either gender to win the same event across three Olympics and remains one of only four swimmers to have achieved that feat, including Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi and American greats Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky.
Denied a chance for fourth title
The sporting icon, who lives on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, was denied the chance to win a fourth Olympic 100m freestyle title at the 1968 Mexico Olympics after the Australian Swimming Union banned her for 10 years.
Fraser defied the ASU by marching in the opening ceremony at the 1964 Tokyo Games and refused to swim in a suit that had been supplied by Australian team sponsors.
Lani Pallister celebrates with Dawn Fraser at the 2024 Australian Swimming Trials. (AAP: Dave Hunt)
She was also accused of stealing an Olympic flag from a flagpole outside Emperor Hirohito's palace and arrested but was released without charge.
In 1988, Fraser was elected as an independent to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the seat of Balmain and retired from politics in 1991.
She has a daughter, Dawn-Lorraine, after a short-lived marriage to Gary Ware in 1965 and a grandson, Jackson.