Leisel Jones

Leisel Marie Jones, OAM (born 30 August 1985) is an Australian former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medallist.

A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold-medal-winning Australian team in the women's 4×100-metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold medallist for 100-metre breaststroke in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Jones was selected for the Australian team at just 14 years of age, qualifying in the 100-metre breaststroke by winning the event at the Australian Championships in May 2000 in Sydney, ending the international career of former world champion Samantha Riley.

Jones swam a personal best in the final at the Sydney Olympics to claim an unexpected silver medal behind American Megan Quann.

She also combined with Dyana Calub, Petria Thomas and Susie O'Neill in the 4×100-metre medley relay to win silver, again behind the Americans.

Jones left school aged 15 to concentrate on swimming.

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Jones was now one of the established swimmers and expected to win medals.

She finished second to China's Luo Xuejuan.

The competition also marked her international debut in the 200-metre breaststroke, where she came fourth place (2:25.46).

She also collected a gold in the medley relay alongside Calub, Thomas and Sarah Ryan, the first time that the US women had been beaten at world or Olympic level in this event, excluding the systemically doped East German and Chinese teams.

In 2002, Jones claimed her first titles on the international arena, claiming the breaststroke double at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

Australia also won the medley relay.

In 2003, Jones set an Australian record in the 200-metre individual medley earlier in the year, in an experimental event.

Later at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, she started setting a world record in the semifinals of the 100-metre breaststroke (1:06.37).

However, she succumbed to nerves in the final and came third, with Luo again winning the event.

She also achieved a silver in the 200-metre breaststroke in Barcelona, behind Amanda Beard in (2:24.33).

She collected a bronze in the medley relay.

In the month leading up to the Athens Olympics, Jones set a world record (2:22.96) in the 200-metre breaststroke in a meet in Brisbane, Australia.

This led to high expectations of an even better performance in Athens, as Jones had not been rested prior to swimming the world record.

However, it was reclaimed by Beard at the US Olympic trials only a few days later.

In Athens, Jones was again the quickest qualifier of the 100-metre breaststroke, after setting an Olympic record (1:06.78) in the semifinals, which was almost two seconds clear of the then second fastest swimmer in the event's history, Amanda Beard.

However, in the final race she finished in the bronze position.

In the 200-metre breaststroke, she attempted to take an attacking approach, but faded in the last 50 metres and was pipped to the wall by Amanda Beard, winning silver.

Australia went on to win the 4×100-metre medley relay, giving Jones her first Olympic gold.

Jones' world record in the 100-metre breaststroke was broken at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Canada by Jessica Hardy of the United States in 1:06.20, again in the semifinal.

However, this time the expectations turned to Hardy and Jones turned the tables and beat her to the wall, breaking through for her first win at world or Olympic level.

In 2009, Jones became the new face of the World Animal Protection Australia & New Zealand anti-whaling campaign.

On 17 March 2012, Jones earned selection to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and became the first Australian swimmer to compete at four Olympic games.

There, she won her ninth Olympic medal, a silver medal in the 4×100-metre medley relay.

Jones is noted for employing a classic breaststroke technique, typified by a slow but deeper stroke cycle and also by her slow starts.

Along with South African champion Penny Heyns, she is regarded as one of the greatest breaststroke swimmers ever.

While at Southern Cross Catholic College, Jones used to train at the Redcliffe club in Scarborough, Queensland, and was coached by Ken Wood.

Her training partners included fellow Australian team members, Geoff Huegill and Jessicah Schipper.

After her disappointing campaign in Athens, Jones moved to train at the Fortitude Valley Pool in Brisbane, Australia, alongside Libby Lenton, under Swiss-born coach Stephan Widmar at the Commercial Swimming Club.

Following the move, Jones began to speak openly about the depression and self-esteem issues that had plagued her following her being thrust into the spotlight at such a young age.

The successes that followed endeared her to an Australian public that had been critical of her attitude following her failure to capture individual gold in Athens.

Some, including Dawn Fraser, believed Jones had acted immaturely and ungratefully, particularly in her indifferent displays of emotion during post-race interviews and medal ceremonies.

Jones confirmed her retirement from swimming in November 2012.

She planned to begin a university degree in psychology in 2013.

In 2015, Jones published an autobiography titled Body Lengths.