Jenny Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jenny Thompson

Personal information
Born	(1973-02-26) February 26, 1973 (age 52) Danvers, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9.5 in
Weight	152 lb
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Butterfly, freestyle
Club	Seacoast Swimming Association, Stanford, Badger Swim Club
College team	Stanford University
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  United States Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 8 3 1 World Championships (LC) 7 5 2 World Championships (SC) 11 5 2 Pan Pacific Championships 25 7 2 Pan American Games 2 0 1 Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1992 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Gold 1996 Atlanta 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1996 Atlanta 4×200 m freestyle Gold 1996 Atlanta 4×100 m medley Gold 2000 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Sydney 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley Silver 1992 Barcelona 100 m freestyle Silver 2004 Athens 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley Bronze 2000 Sydney 100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 1991 Perth 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1998 Perth 100 m freestyle Gold 1998 Perth 100 m butterfly Gold 1998 Perth 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1998 Perth 4×100 m medley Gold 2003 Barcelona 100 m butterfly Gold 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m freestyle Silver 1994 Rome 4×100 m freestyle Silver 1994 Rome 4×100 m medley Silver 1998 Perth 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2003 Barcelona 50 m butterfly Silver 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Bronze 1994 Rome 4×200 m freestyle Bronze 2003 Barcelona 100 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 1997 Gothenburg 100 m freestyle Gold 1997 Gothenburg 100 m butterfly Gold 1997 Gothenburg 4×100 m medley Gold 1999 Hong Kong 100 m freestyle Gold 1999 Hong Kong 50 m butterfly Gold 1999 Hong Kong 100 m butterfly Gold 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m medley Gold 2000 Athens 50 m butterfly Gold 2000 Athens 100 m butterfly Gold 2004 Indianapolis 50 m butterfly Gold 2004 Indianapolis 4×100 m freestyle Silver 1997 Gothenburg 50 m freestyle Silver 1999 Hong Kong 50 m freestyle Silver 2000 Athens 100 m freestyle Silver 2000 Athens 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2004 Indianapolis 4×100 m medley Bronze 2000 Athens 4×100 m medley Bronze 2004 Indianapolis 100 m butterfly Pan Pacific Championships Gold 1989 Tokyo 50 m freestyle Gold 1989 Tokyo 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1991 Edmonton 50 m freestyle Gold 1991 Edmonton 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1993 Kobe 50 m freestyle Gold 1993 Kobe 100 m freestyle Gold 1993 Kobe 100 m butterfly Gold 1993 Kobe 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1993 Kobe 4×200 m freestyle Gold 1993 Kobe 4×100 m medley Gold 1995 Atlanta 100 m freestyle Gold 1995 Atlanta 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1995 Atlanta 4×200 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 100 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 100 m butterfly Gold 1997 Fukuoka 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 4×200 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley Gold 1999 Sydney 50 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 100 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 100 m butterfly Gold 1999 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 4×200 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 4×100 m medley Gold 2002 Yokohama 50 m freestyle Silver 1989 Tokyo 100 m freestyle Silver 1995 Atlanta 50 m freestyle Silver 1995 Atlanta 100 m butterfly Silver 1995 Atlanta 4×100 m medley Silver 1997 Fukuoka 50 m freestyle Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Bronze 2002 Yokohama 100 m freestyle Bronze 2002 Yokohama 100 m butterfly Pan American Games Gold 1987 Indianapolis 50 m freestyle Gold 1987 Indianapolis 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 1987 Indianapolis 100 m freestyle

Jennifer "Jenny" Thompson (born February 26, 1973) is an American former swimmer. She is one of the most successful Olympic athletes ever. Jenny won an amazing twelve medals, including eight gold medals. She competed in four Olympic Games: 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004.

Jenny started swimming at age 7 in her hometown of Dover, New Hampshire. She quickly became a top swimmer. By age 14, she was already competing internationally. She won a gold medal at the 1991 World Championships. She even held world records in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races before the 1992 Olympics. After her swimming career, Jenny became a doctor. She now works as an anesthesiologist.

Jenny Thompson: A Swimming Champion

Her First Olympics: Barcelona 1992

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, many people expected Jenny to win several gold medals. She didn't qualify for the 200-meter freestyle final. She finished fifth in the 50-meter race. In the 100-meter freestyle, she won a silver medal.

However, Jenny still won two gold medals. She was part of the USA's winning 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley relay teams. There was some discussion about drug testing rules at these Games. The rules were later changed to make testing fairer for all athletes.

Swimming at Stanford University

Jenny went to Stanford University and swam for their team. She was one of the best college swimmers in the country. During her four years at Stanford, her team won four national championships. Jenny won nineteen individual and relay titles herself!

Even with her success, Jenny had a tough time at the 1996 Olympic Trials. She didn't qualify for her individual races.

Atlanta 1996: Relay Gold Medals

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Jenny showed her strength in team events. She won three gold medals as part of the USA's relay teams. These were for the 4×100-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter medley, and 4×200-meter freestyle relays.

Between 1997 and 1999, Jenny continued to dominate. She won eight more world championship titles. This included winning the 100-meter freestyle three times in a row.

Sydney 2000: More Olympic Success

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Jenny added more medals to her collection. She earned a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle. She also placed fifth in the 100-meter butterfly.

Jenny was a key player in the relay events. She swam the final part of the race for the USA. Her teams won gold medals in the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×200-meter freestyle relays. They also won the 4×100-meter medley relay. Both the 4×100-meter freestyle and medley teams set new world records!

Return to Swimming: 2002-2004

After the 2000 Olympics, Jenny seemed to retire from swimming. She had already won 10 Olympic medals and 12 World Championship gold medals. In 2001, she moved to New York City to study medicine at Columbia University.

But while in medical school, Jenny decided to return to swimming! In 2002, she competed at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Japan. She won five medals in just two days. She even swam her fastest ever 50-meter freestyle race. At the 2003 World Championships, she won five more medals, including two gold.

Athens 2004: Her Final Olympics

At age 31, Jenny was the oldest swimmer on the U.S. team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. This was her fourth time competing in the Olympics. She helped her team win a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. They also set a new national record.

She earned another silver medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay. Throughout her amazing Olympic career, Jenny won twelve medals. Eight of these were gold medals in relay races. This is the most relay gold medals for any female Olympic swimmer!

Life After Swimming

In 2006, Jenny earned her medical degree from Columbia University. She completed her medical training in Boston. She now works as an anesthesiologist at the Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.

Jenny married Daniel Richard Cumpelik on September 5, 2010. She also volunteers for Swim Across America. This group raises money for cancer research. She has been helping them since 1995.

Awards and Recognition

Jenny Thompson has received many honors for her incredible swimming career. She was named the USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year in 1993 and 1998. Sports Illustrated magazine ranked her as the 62nd greatest female athlete of all time in 1999.

Swimming World Magazine named her the Female World Swimmer of the Year in 1998. They also recognized her as the Female American Swimmer of the Year in 1993, 1998, and 1999. In 2000, she was the Women's Sports Foundation's Athlete of the Year. Her hometown of Dover, New Hampshire has even named a public swimming pool after her!

See also

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
• List of multiple Olympic medalists
• List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists
• List of Stanford University people
• List of top Olympic gold medalists in swimming
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• World record progression 50 metres butterfly
• World record progression 100 metres butterfly
• World record progression 100 metres freestyle
• World record progression 100 metres individual medley
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay