Leisel Marie Jones: Australia’s breast-stroke specialist
Leisel Marie Jones is among the most talented breast-stroke swimmers that Australian has produced. Her magnificent strokes and tremendous talent has earned her many awards and accolades at all the international stages of professional swimming. She is one
of those brilliant and dynamic Australian swimmers, who have the honour to reach the podium at every world level competition.
Jones made a debut to her international swimming career at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, where she dominated her swims in the events of 100m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay. She earned silver medals in both events and became the spotlight for
the media and the audience of the aquatic centre.
Her excellent performance at the Olympics qualified her for the 2001 World Long Course Championships. Jones was the hot favourite in her main events and she met the crowd’s expectations when she earned a silver medal in the 100m breast-stroke and a gold
medal in the 4*100m medley relay team.
The 25-year-old Australian started to gain confidence and involved herself in a more exhaustive training program. Her hard work proved her determination when she qualified for the Australian team to compete at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She
participated in the breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay and earned gold medals in all of the events.
The same year, she again qualified for the Australian team to compete at the 2002 Pan Pacific Games in Yokohama. She won a gold medal in the 4*100m medley relay along with the silver medal in the 200m breast-stroke, but she failed to reach the podium in
the 100m breast-stroke.
In 2003, she enhanced her training program to reach the podium in her main events and qualified for the World Long Course Championships in Barcelona. Jones became the highlight of the championship when she gained two bronze medals in the 100m breast-stroke
and 4*100m medley relay and a silver medal in the 200m breast-stroke.
The following year, she conquered her breast-stroke events in the Australian Championships and qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Jones once again occupied a gold medal in the 4*100m medley relay, a silver medal in the 200m breast-stroke and
a bronze medal in the 100m breast-stroke.
During 2005, Jones won three gold medals in the events of 200m breast-stroke, 100m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay and became the only Australian to win three gold medals at these Championships. In 2006, at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne,
Jones qualified for the 50m breast-stroke along with her other three events. She had some astounding swims in all her events and conquered gold medals in all of them.
In 2007, Jones competed in the events of 50m breast-stroke, 100m breast-stroke, 200m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay at the World Long Course Championships. The 25-year-old reached the podium three times for gold medals and one time for a silver
medal in the 50m breast-stroke. Then, at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, she represented her beloved country in the events of 200m breast-stroke, 100m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay. Jones earned two gold medals in the 100m breast-stroke and the
4*100m relay while she won a silver medal in the 200m event.
In 2010, she won three silver medals in the 200m breast-stroke, 100m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay along with the bronze in the 50m breast-stroke. Her dominating performance continued at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where she earned
three gold medals in 200m breast-stroke, 100m breast-stroke and the 4*100m medley relay and a silver medal in the 50m event.
Jones now aims to represent her country at the 2012 London Olympics, which will be her fourth Olympic Games.
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