Jessica Ashwood
Ashwood at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships
Personal information
Full nameJessica Ashwood
Nickname"Jess"
National team Australia
Born (1993-04-28) 28 April 1993 (age 30)
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubChandler
CoachVince Raleigh[1]
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Australia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×200 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Kazan 400 m freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast 800 m freestyle

Jessica Ashwood (born 28 April 1993) is an Australian competitive swimmer who was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 800-metre freestyle event, as well as the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Ashwood was born in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, on 28 April 1993.[2] She is from the suburb of Padstow,[3] Her grandmother is a swimming coach.[2] She attended Regina Coeli Primary School before going to high school at MLC School.[2]

Swimming

Ashwood is a swimmer, specialising in the 800-metre freestyle event.[2] As a four-year-old, she started swimming.[2] In 2012, she was training with Jayden Hadler, Daniel Arnamnart, James Magnussen and Daniel Tranter.[4] She was coached by Jon Shaw from 2009 to 2010. Brant Best became her coach in 2010 and was her coach from 2012 to 2014, and by Vince Raleigh since joining the Chandler Swimming Club in Queensland.[2]

At a 2009 transtasman swimming meet, Ashwood beat Kiwi Phoebe Williams to finish first in the 800-metre freestyle event.[5] At the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival, she lost to Kelly Marquenie in the women's 800-metre freestyle event.[6] She finished second in the women's 400-metre freestyle event.[7] At the 2011 Queensland State Championships, she came in second in the women's 800-metre freestyle event, finishing seven seconds behind the winner.[8][9] At the 2011 National Championships, with a time of 16:14.47, she finished second in the 1500-metre freestyle which secured her a spot on the national team going to the World Championships.[10] At the 2011 World Swimming Championships, in her national team debut, she did not make it out of the semifinals in the 1,500-metre.[11][12] At the 2011 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, she finished third in the 400-metre freestyle with a time of 4:12.47.[13] At the 2012 Australian National Championships, she finished second in the women's 800-metre freestyle with a time of 8:27.97.[14] As an 18-year-old,[3] she was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 800-metre freestyle event[2][15] in what were her first Games.[3][4]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Ashwood represented Australia in both the 400m & 800m freestyle.[16] She won a silver medal as part of the women's 4 × 200m freestyle team.

References

  1. ^ Lord, Craig (26 November 2015). "Emily Seebohm Riding Golden wave To Rio with a 1:59 Australian 200 Back S/C Record". Swimvortex. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "London 2012 - Jessica Ashwood". Australia: Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Australia Post backing our Games athletes". Canterbury-Bankstown Express. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b "James Magnussen is soaking up the pressure with a confidence that's infectious". The Australian. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  5. ^ McMurran, Alistair (13 July 2009). "Swimming: St Hildas pupil ends series in style". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Aussies lap up gold in AYOF swim finals". Nine MSN. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Australia claims more gold at AYOF". Nine MSN. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  8. ^ Name: (will appear on website) (14 December 2011). "Goldman blasts back to scorching best Gold Coast Sport". goldcoast.com.au. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Seebohm getting back to her best". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Seebohm battles into world swim champs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydneyt. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Seebohm, Jones inspired by relay win". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 25 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Geoff Huegill given reprieve as selection standard relaxed". The Australian. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Swimming: Kiwi grabs record-breaking gold". The New Zealand Herald. Auckland. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  14. ^ Liam FitzGibbon (21 March 2012). "Huegill comeback falls short". Fox Sports. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Swimming Magnussen lands sprint double". Channel NewsAsia. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  16. ^ "2016 Australian Olympic Swimming Team selected". Australian Olympic Committee. 14 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.

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