Amanda Beard
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Amanda Ray•Beard (-Brown) |
| Used name | Amanda•Beard |
| Born | 29 October 1981 in Newport Beach, California (USA) |
| Measurements | 173 cm / 59 kg |
| Affiliations | Irvine Novaquatics/Tuscan Ford |
| NOC |  United States |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 2 |
| Silver | 4 |
| Bronze | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
Biography
While still a high school student, Amanda Beard won two Olympic silver medals in the individual breaststroke events, behind Penny Heyns. At the podium in Atlanta, the 14-year-old was seen holding her teddy bear. Although she also won a relay gold medal at those Olympics, it took her some time before she would win an international title individually. In 2002, she won the breaststroke events at the Pan Pacific meet, and in 2003 she became World Champion in the 200 m in Barcelona, winning silver in the 100 m and the medley relay. She emulated this performance in Athens, winning the 200 m gold after a very good last lane by just 0.23 over Leisel Jones. After these victories, Beard started modelling, appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition and Playboy, among others. Beard’s 2008 Olympic performance was marked by her anti-fur protest, posing nude in a campaign for animal rights organisation PETA.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Amanda Beard | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 1 | Gold | |||
| 2000 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Amanda Beard | |||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 2004 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Amanda Beard | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 4 | |||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 200 metres Individual Medley, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Amanda Beard | |||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Women (Olympic) | 18 |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Summer Universiade (0–2–0 1999 Palma de Mallorca SWI silver: 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay (swam in heats only))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m breaststroke – 25 July 2003 - 10 July 2004 and 12 July 2004 - 29 July 2005: 2:22.99 tied (25 July 2003; Barcelona, ESP), 2:22.44 (12 July 2004; Long Beach, USA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships (2–2–2 1995 Atlanta silver: 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m breaststroke and 200 m breaststroke; 2002 Yokohama gold: 100 m breaststroke and 200 m breaststroke, silver: 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (1–2–0 2003 Barcelona SWI gold: 200 m breaststroke, silver: 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Short-Course Swimming Championships (25 m) (0–4–0 1997 Göteborg silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 2002 Moskva silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 2004 Indianapolis silver: 200 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay (swam in heats only))