Jenny ThompsonJenny Thompson made her impact on the world swimming rankings list at age 12, in the 50m freestyle. Since then, she's been one of America's most decorated swimmers. Before the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Jenny had already racked up an impressive trophy assortment: She was the 50m freestyle champion in 1989 at both the Pan Pacific and the Pan Am. She won the 50m and 100m freestyle at the LEN Cup in 1990. And in 1991, she won two gold medals at the Pan Pacifics and anchored the gold-medal-winning, American-record-breaking 400m freestyle relay at the World Championships. At the 1999 Pan Pacific Championships, Jenny won gold in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles, plus three relays and she broke one of swimming's most revered records: Mary T. Meagher's 100-meter butterfly world standard which had held up since 1981.

While at Stanford University, Jenny led the Cardinal swim team to a 27-0 dual-meet record, four Pac-10 crowns and four NCAA championships. Jenny's 19 NCAA titles are the most in women's collegiate swimming history. One of her most memorable events while in college was breaking her left forearm while attempting a flip on a homemade water slide at a Stanford fraternity house. The doctors told her that her season was over, but she refused, opting for the placement of a titanium plate and seven screws. In 10 days, she went on to win the 100m freestyle title at the national championships in Indianapolis. In 1995, Jenny was named the College Sports Magazine "Female Athlete of the Year" after winning numerous titles, including the NCAA 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, and 200m individual medley...and being only the fourth woman in NCAA history to win the same event four times.

Jenny's talent and desire allowed her to compete in three Olympics Games. Americans knew that she would be very successful at the Olympic Games after she set a world record in the 100m freestyle and an American record in the 50m freestyle at the Olympic trials. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, she brought home two gold medals (400m freestyle relay and 400m medley relay) and one silver medal (100m freestyle). 

But then came the 1996 Olympic trials, where Jenny managed to qualify for only a berth on the 400m freestylye relay squad. Since there would be no individual medals for Jenny at the 1996 Games, she could have slacked off. Instead, she kept training for all four of her races and said, "One race is enough. I wouldn't do any less than work my hardest for one race. I just give it my all, because I'm going out there for my country and for three other relay members. I don't want to be any less than the best I can be." That attitude helped her bring home three gold medals for relays.

Thompson entered the 2000 Sydney Olympics already having won five gold medals--all in relays. Jenny set a U.S. record with her sixth gold medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle event, and went on to win two more gold medals, giving her a total of eight Olympic Gold Medals. In indviduals, Thompson tied her U.S. teamate for the bronze medal in the 100m butterfly. Thompson has finished her Olympic career with more gold medals than any American Woman and more than any female swimmer in Olympic history.

A few career highlights:

  • 10 Olympic Medals: 8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze
  • 1993 and 1998 U.S.A. Swimmer of the Year
  • 1998 World Female Swimmer of the Year
  • Holds American records in the 100-meter and 100-yard Freesytle
  • 23 U.S. National Titles
  • 1995 Female Athele of the Year by the College Sports Magazine
  • At Stanford, her swimming team was 27-0 record in dual-meets, and won four Pac-10 crowns and four NCAA championships