Loretta Harrop facts for kids
Loretta "Loz" Harrop (born on 17 July 1975, in Brisbane, Queensland) is a famous Australian triathlete. A triathlete is an athlete who competes in a triathlon, which is a race with three parts: swimming, cycling, and running. Loretta is known for winning a silver medal at the Olympic Games.
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Early Life and School
Loretta Harrop grew up in Brisbane, Australia. When she was a teenager, she went to Cavendish Road State High School with her brothers and sisters. Her school was very proud of her achievements. In fact, by 2007, the school even named one of its houses after her! This house is called Harrop House and its special colour is red.
Olympic Achievements
Loretta Harrop competed in two Olympic Games, which are the biggest sports events in the world.
Sydney 2000 Olympics
Loretta was part of history at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. This was the very first time that triathlon was included as an Olympic sport. She finished in fifth place in the women's triathlon. Her total time for the race was 2 hours, 1 minute, and 42.82 seconds. This was a great start for triathlon in the Olympics!
Athens 2004 Olympics
Four years later, Loretta competed again at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. This time, she did even better! She won a silver medal for Australia in the women's triathlon. Her time for this race was 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 50.17 seconds. Winning an Olympic medal is a huge achievement for any athlete.
Other Major Wins
Besides her Olympic medal, Loretta Harrop also won other important races.
World Championships
She won a gold medal at the 1999 ITU Triathlon World Championships in Montreal. This race is like the world cup for triathletes. She also earned a silver medal at the 2004 ITU Triathlon World Championships in Madeira.
World Cup Series
In 1999, Loretta won the overall ITU Triathlon World Cup. This means she was the best triathlete across a series of races held around the world that year.
Family Life
Loretta Harrop is married to Brad Jones. Brad was also a talented athlete who played Australian rules football in Queensland. Loretta and Brad have two children, a son named Hayden and a daughter named Emerson. Both Hayden and Emerson have followed in their parents' athletic footsteps and are professional tennis players.
