Lia Neal facts for kids
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| Born | February 13, 1995 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (Eastside) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Stanford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Lia Neal (born February 13, 1995) is an American former professional swimmer. She was an expert in freestyle races. Neal made history as the second female African-American swimmer to join a U.S. Olympic team.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won a bronze medal. She was part of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. Four years later, at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, she won a silver medal in the same event.
Contents
Early Life and Swimming Beginnings
Lia Neal was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1995. Her parents are Siu and Jerome Neal. Lia is of both African and Chinese heritage. She began swimming at the age of six in New York City.
She went to the Convent of the Sacred Heart School. While there, she swam for a club team called Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics.
Olympic Journey
Neal competed in two Olympic Games, winning a medal at each one. She showed that top swimmers could come from anywhere, not just warm states like Florida or California.
2012 London Olympics: A Bronze Medal Debut
| 2012 Summer Olympics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 4x100 m freestyle relay | 3:34.24 |
At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, Neal earned a spot on the Olympic team. She finished fourth in the 100-meter freestyle. This qualified her for the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. She was only 17 years old.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Neal won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Her teammates were Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy, and Allison Schmitt. The U.S. team set a new American record with a time of 3:34.24.
2016 Rio Olympics: Winning Silver
| 2016 Summer Olympics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silver | 4x100 m freestyle relay | 3:31.89 |
In 2016, Neal returned to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won a silver medal in the women's 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay. She helped her team qualify for the final by swimming in the morning heats.
Making History in Swimming
Lia Neal was part of several historic moments in swimming. In 2012, she, Anthony Ervin, and Cullen Jones were the first group of three African-American swimmers on a U.S. Olympic team.
In 2015, she was part of another milestone. At the Women’s Division I NCAA Swimming Championship, three African-American swimmers finished in the top three spots in the 100-yard freestyle for the first time. Simone Manuel finished first, Neal was second, and Natalie Hinds was third.
College and World Championships
From 2013 to 2017, Neal swam for Stanford University. During her college career, she became an 8-time NCAA champion.
Neal also competed in the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. She swam the final leg for the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team. Her strong performance helped the team win a silver medal.
| 2019 World Championships | ||
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| Silver | 4x100 m freestyle relay | 3:31.02 |
Life After Competitive Swimming
In 2020, Neal started a YouTube channel. She wanted to show people that swimmers have interesting lives outside of the pool. She used her videos to share her experiences and help people see swimmers in a new way.
In May 2021, Lia Neal announced that she was retiring from professional swimming. After her swimming career, she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Harvard Business School.
Personal Life
Neal is Catholic. During her professional career, she was sponsored by the swimwear company TYR Sport, Inc..
See also
In Spanish: Lia Neal para niños
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
- World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
- List of people from New York (state)
- List of people from New York City
- List of people from Brooklyn
- Diversity in swimming
