Joanna Zeiger facts for kids
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Zeiger in 2013
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 4, 1970 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Joanna Sue Zeiger (born May 4, 1970) is an amazing American athlete. She is famous for being a triathlete, which means she competes in swimming, cycling, and running races. In 2008, she became the world champion in the Ironman 70.3 race. Joanna also proudly represented the United States in the triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She even wrote a book called The Champions Mindset - An Athlete's Guide to Mental Toughness.
Contents
Joanna's Early Life and Background
Joanna Zeiger was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up in San Diego, California. Today, she lives in Boulder, Colorado. Joanna is also Jewish. She went to Patrick Henry High School in San Diego and finished in 1988.
Her Athletic Journey
Joanna Zeiger started her sports career as a swimmer. She was very good!
Swimming Achievements
In 1989, Joanna and her sister, Laurie, competed for the United States. They went to the 1989 Maccabiah Games, which are sometimes called the "Jewish Olympics." Joanna won four medals there:
- a gold medal
- a silver medal
- two bronze medals
Joanna later attended Brown University. While there, she set school records in several freestyle swimming events in 1991. She held records for the 500-yard, 1000-yard, and 1650-yard freestyle races.
Becoming a Triathlete
After swimming, Joanna added other sports to her training. She started competitive running in 1992. Then, she began cycling in 1993. These three sports – swimming, cycling, and running – make up a triathlon.
Joanna also earned her PhD degree in 2001. She studied at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Olympic and Ironman Success
Joanna Zeiger competed in the very first Olympic triathlon event. This happened at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She finished in an impressive fourth place! Her total time for the race was 2 hours, 1 minute, and 25.74 seconds.
In the same year, she also competed in the Ironman World Championship. She finished fifth in this very tough race. Joanna also won two other Ironman races:
- Ironman Brasil in 2005
- Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2006
Her biggest win came in 2008. Joanna won the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. This big event took place in Clearwater, Florida. Her winning time was 4 hours, 2 minutes, and 49 seconds.
Awards and Recognition
Joanna Zeiger has received many honors for her amazing sports career:
- In 1997, she was named the Amateur Triathlete of the Year.
- In 1998, she became USA Triathlon's Rookie of the Year.
- In 2000, the USOC named her Triathlete of the Year.
In March 2001, Joanna was honored by the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. This shows how important her achievements are in the world of sports.
See also
In Spanish: Joanna Zeiger para niños
- List of Jewish triathletes
