Leisel Jones facts for kids

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Leisel Jones
OAM

Jones in 2018
Personal information
Birth name	Leisel Marie Jones
Nickname(s)	"Diesel", "Lethal Leisel"
Born	(1985-08-30) 30 August 1985 (age 39) Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia
Height	174 cm
Weight	68 kg
Spouse(s)	Damon Martin ​ (m. 2018)​
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke
Medal record Representing  Australia Women's swimming Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 5 1 World Championships (LC) 7 4 3 World Championships (SC) 0 1 1 Pan Pacific Championships 1 4 1 Commonwealth Games 10 1 0 Total 21 15 6 Women's swimming Representing  Australia Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m breaststroke Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley Silver 2000 Sydney 100 m breaststroke Silver 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley Silver 2004 Athens 200 m breaststroke Silver 2008 Beijing 200 m breaststroke Silver 2012 London 4×100 m medley Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m breaststroke World Championships (LC) Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley Gold 2005 Montreal 100 m breaststroke Gold 2005 Montreal 200 m breaststroke Gold 2005 Montreal 4×100 m medley Gold 2007 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke Gold 2007 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke Gold 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley Silver 2001 Fukuoka 100 m breaststroke Silver 2003 Barcelona 200 m breaststroke Silver 2007 Melbourne 50 m breaststroke Silver 2011 Shanghai 100 m breaststroke Bronze 2003 Barcelona 100 m breaststroke Bronze 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Bronze 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m medley World Championships (SC) Silver 2010 Dubai 100 m breaststroke Bronze 2010 Dubai 4×100 m medley Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Silver 2002 Yokohama 200 m breaststroke Silver 2010 Irvine 100 m breaststroke Silver 2010 Irvine 200 m breaststroke Silver 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley Bronze 2010 Irvine 50 m breaststroke Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester 100 m breaststroke Gold 2002 Manchester 200 m breaststroke Gold 2002 Manchester 4×100 m medley Gold 2006 Melbourne 50 m breaststroke Gold 2006 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke Gold 2006 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke Gold 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m medley Gold 2010 Delhi 100 m breaststroke Gold 2010 Delhi 200 m breaststroke Gold 2010 Delhi 4×100 m medley Silver 2010 Delhi 50 m breaststroke

Leisel Marie Jones is an Australian former competitive swimmer. She is famous for winning gold medals at the Olympic Games. Leisel was born on August 30, 1985. She was only 15 years old when she first competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Leisel was part of the Australian team that won a gold medal in the 4×100-metre medley relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She also won an individual gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

In 2012, Leisel made history. She became the first Australian swimmer to compete in four Olympic Games. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won her ninth Olympic medal, a silver in the 4×100-metre medley relay.

Leisel is known for her special breaststroke swimming style. Many people consider her one of the best breaststroke swimmers ever.

Leisel Jones' Early Life and Training

Leisel Jones trained at the Redcliffe club in Scarborough, Queensland. Her coach was Ken Wood. She trained with other famous Australian swimmers like Geoff Huegill and Jessicah Schipper.

After the 2004 Athens Olympics, Leisel moved to Brisbane. She trained under coach Stephan Widmar at the Commercial Swimming Club. This move helped her a lot. She also started talking about the challenges she faced being in the spotlight at a young age. Her later successes made her very popular in Australia.

In 2009, Leisel became a spokesperson for World Animal Protection Australia & New Zealand. She supported their campaign against whaling. Leisel officially stopped swimming in November 2012. She planned to study psychology at university. In 2015, she wrote a book about her life called Body Lengths.

Leisel's Amazing Swimming Career

Leisel Jones joined the Australian swimming team when she was just 14 years old. She qualified for the 100-metre breaststroke by winning the event at the Australian Championships in May 2000.

2000 Sydney Olympics: A Young Star Emerges

At the Sydney Olympics, Leisel swam her fastest time ever. She won an unexpected silver medal in the 100-metre breaststroke. She also won another silver medal with her team in the 4×100-metre medley relay. After the Olympics, Leisel left school at age 15 to focus completely on swimming.

World Championships and Commonwealth Games Success

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in Japan, Leisel was expected to win medals. She finished second in the 100-metre breaststroke. She also won a gold medal in the medley relay. This was a big win because it was the first time the US women's team had been beaten in this event at a major competition.

In 2002, Leisel won her first international titles. She won both the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in England. Australia also won the medley relay.

In 2003, at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships in Spain, Leisel set a new world record in the semifinals of the 100-metre breaststroke. However, she felt nervous in the final and finished third. She also won a silver medal in the 200-metre breaststroke and a bronze in the medley relay.

Before the Athens Olympics, Leisel set another world record in the 200-metre breaststroke. This made people expect great things from her in Athens.

2004 Athens Olympics: First Olympic Gold

In Athens, Leisel was the fastest swimmer in the 100-metre breaststroke semifinals. She set an Olympic record. But in the final, she finished with a bronze medal. In the 200-metre breaststroke, she tried to swim very fast but tired at the end and won a silver medal. Later, Australia won the 4×100-metre medley relay, giving Leisel her first Olympic gold medal!

Breaking Records and Becoming World Swimmer of the Year

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Canada, Leisel won her first individual gold medal at a World or Olympic level. She also broke the world record for the 200-metre breaststroke. For her amazing achievements, she was named the Female World Swimmer of the Year in 2005.

Leisel continued to break records in 2006. She set new world records in the 50-metre, 100-metre, and 200-metre breaststroke events.

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Leisel won all three breaststroke events (50m, 100m, and 200m). This was the first time anyone had done this in breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games. She also won a fourth gold medal in the 4×100-metre medley relay, setting another world record.

In 2007, she won more gold medals at the World Championships. She won the 100-metre breaststroke, 200-metre breaststroke, and 4×100-metre medley relay. She also won a silver medal in the 50-metre breaststroke.

2008 Beijing Olympics: Double Gold

Jones with Sarah Ewart in 2008

Leisel won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 100-metre breaststroke. She finished far ahead of her rivals. She was also expected to win the 200-metre breaststroke but took the silver medal. She won another gold medal as part of the Australian 4×100-metre medley relay team. They broke the previous world record by three seconds!

Leisel was given the Telstra Swimmer Of The Year award in October 2008. In 2009, she set more world records in the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke (short course) at a World Cup meeting.

2012 London Olympics: Making History

Leisel aimed for the 2012 Olympics in London. She qualified by winning the 50-metre, 100-metre, and 200-metre breaststroke events at the 2010 Australian Swimming Championships.

At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Leisel won three silver medals and a bronze. She competed in the 50-metre, 100-metre, and 200-metre breaststroke, and the 4×100-metre medley relay.

By competing in the 2012 London Olympics, Leisel became the first Australian swimmer to go to four Olympic Games. She won a silver medal for Australia in the 4×100-metre medley relay with her teammates.

Life After Swimming

Leisel Jones officially retired from swimming on November 16, 2012.

In 2015, Leisel appeared on the Australian TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (Australian TV series). In January 2016, she finished a course to become a Nutrition Coach. She believes this knowledge helps her understand good nutrition much better now.

Awards and Recognition

• 2004 – Awarded the Order of Australia for her service to sport as an Olympic Gold Medallist.
• 2005 & 2006 – Named World Swimmer of the Year.
• 2006 – Named Australian Swimmer of the Year.
• 2015 – Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

See also

• List of Australian records in swimming
• List of Commonwealth Games records in swimming
• List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• World record progression 100 metres breaststroke
• World record progression 200 metres breaststroke
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay