Leisel Jones

Nickname

Weasel, Leizel Weazel, Lethal Leisel, LJ (Swimming Australia, 21 Jun 2005; grandslamint.com 23 Dec 2006)

Hobbies

Photography, reading on the lounge on a rainy day and supporting the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team. (Swimming Australia, 23 Dec 2006)

Occupation

Athlete

Education

Beauty Therapy - Australian Institute of Applied Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, AUS

Language(s) spoken

English

Club name

St Peters Western, Brisbane, QLD, AUS

Coach

Michael Bohl from 2011 (olympics.com.au, 24 Mar 2012)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
She began swimming at age two. (Swimming Australia, 20 Jun 2001)

Reason for taking up this sport
She began swimming when her mother, a cleaner at the local pool, would take her to work each morning. "I jumped in the pool thinking I had my floaties [arm flotation devices] on but I sank to the bottom - I then started lessons." (Swimming Australia , 29 Jun 2001)

Most memorable sporting achievement
Breaking the world record in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke. (NOC, 14 May 2008)

Hero
Australian swimmer Samantha Riley and US boxer Muhammad Ali. (reachout.com.au, 05 Jul 2005; FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 07 Dec 2010)

Most influential person in career
Her mother. (Australian Media Guide, 2007)

Superstitions / Rituals
She wears a new pair of goggles for every meet. (Australian Media Guide, 2007)

Sporting philosophy / motto
"Successful people do what unsuccessful people don't want to do." (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 07 Dec 2010)

Awards
In 2010 she was named Australia's Short Course Swimmer of the Year. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 07 Dec 2010)

She is a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM]. (clubsonline.com.au, 15 Jul 2010).

She was named Swimming World Magazine's Female Swimmer of the Year in 2005 and 2006. (grandslamint.com, 23 Dec 2006)

In 2006 she was named the Australian Swimmer of the Yea. (Fox Sports, 12 Dec 2006)

In Melbourne in 2006 she became the first woman in history to complete the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke treble at a Commonwealth Games, was named Swimmer Of The Meet and was selected as the flag bearer at the closing ceremony. (grandslamint.com, 23 Dec 2006)

She was 15 when she competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, making her the youngest Australian Olympic swimmer since 1976. Her medals in the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley in Sydney made her the youngest Australian ever to win an Olympic swimming medal. (worldchamps.swimming.org.au, 31 Mar 2004; NBC Olympics, 29 Jun 2001)

General
FOURTH OLYMPIC GAMES
She will become the first Australian swimmer to compete at four Olympic Games when she competes in London. "The cool thing about it is no one has ever done it before. No one has done it because it is such a tough sport and we do it from such a young age. It's no wonder people retire after three Olympics." (shanghai-fina2011.com, 27 Jul 2011; adelaidenow.com.au, 27 Mar 2011)

NEW COACH
In December 2011 she decided to return to Brisbane after spending four years training under Rohan Taylor in Melbourne. After opting not to join Taylor and his squad on a three-week training camp in Spain, she returned to Brisbane and spent a short stint training under Michael Bohl. She realised she was much happier in Brisbane and decided to make the move permanent. "It confirmed that Queensland was the best place for me going into the Olympics. I know what it's going to take to win another Olympic gold medal and I need to be in the best place to do that." (theaustralian.com.au, 09 Dec 2011)

LOSING HER CROWN
At the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai she took silver in the 100m breaststroke behind US rival Rebecca Soni, ending her six-year world championship golden run in the event which began in 2005. "I was pretty disappointed with the time, so I guess I have to go back to the drawing board and train harder." After taking a year away from swimming in 2009, she admitted she had underestimated how long it would take to return to full fitness. (smh.com.au, 27 Jul 2011; shanghai-fina2011.com, 27 Jul 2011)

CLOTHING LINE
She has designed a clothing label for kids called Leazel Weazel. (The Australian, 16 Dec 2006)

TATTOO
She has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her lower back. (NOC, 14 May 2008)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008, Athens 2004, Sydney 2000