Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones, OAMis an Australian former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medallist. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold-medal-winning Australian team in the women's 4×100-metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold medalist for 100-meter breaststroke in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing...
ProfessionSwimmer
Date of Birth30 August 1985
sports believe race
Going into that race I was going for the world record, just quietly, but I wasn't feeling at my best all week so it was hard to determine what would happen. I could not believe it, I went into shock, I'm still in shock.
sports winning everyday
I used to beat myself up everyday if I did not win an event. I am quite open about those things now and that has been a big change.
sports swim desire
I'm really quite exhausted at the moment, but you never know, you are always surprised at what you can find sometimes, and maybe I will find something deep within to find the desire to swim fast
sports athlete people
It's easy to forget when you're an elite athlete that everyone else gets nervous as well. Even the best people in the world, at whatever they do, they're still nervous
sports media people
It took a lot of guts to change it and say 'I don't like the life that I'm living and I don't like the swimmer I am', so let's change it completely and say 'Look, I've got to learn to love myself'. And that's been a really hard thing to do because when you've done a performance that you're not proud of and the public and the media have criticized you.....people are really quick to make judgements so it was tough to say 'Well I don't care what you have to say. I'm going to do this for myself and if you don't like me after this, well then, it's too bad'.
sports motivational-sports thinking
I don't think I'm unbeatable, nobody is
sports good-friend three
I've achieved everything I ever wanted. I've done three Olympics, world championships, I've been around the world and made good friends. But I still have the inner drive to do more, to be not just good, but to be great.
exciting known putting quite since slow swimmer
It was very exciting because I'm not known as a 50 swimmer and ever since I was quite young, I've had slow starts. I'm putting things into place now.
happens sad
The sad thing is it happens all the time. It's very invasive and it makes you so vulnerable.
accept problem proves testing
The testing is something we accept and we don't have a problem doing it because it proves things, doesn't it?
absolutely competing crowd front home incredible
There's nothing like competing in front of a home crowd and they're absolutely incredible suits.
believe best determine feeling hard nobody record
I was going for the world record . . . but I wasn't feeling my best all week, so it was hard to determine what would happen. I could not believe it. I went into shock. I'm still in shock. I don't think I'm unbeatable - nobody is.
absolute seems year
I'm in absolute shock. It seems that 2006 has been the year for me.
absolute absolutely amazing beforehand believe cannot nervous
I'm in absolute shock. I cannot believe it. It is absolutely amazing -- I was so nervous beforehand I had (stomach) cramps.