Amanda Beard Personal information Full name: Amanda Beard Nationality:  United States Stroke(s): Breaststroke Date of birth: October 29, 1981 (1981-10-29) (age 27) Place of birth: Newport Beach, California, United States Height: 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)

Medal record Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta 4x100 m medley Gold 2004 Athens1 200 m breaststroke Silver 1996 Atlanta 100 m breaststroke Silver 1996 Atlanta 200 m breaststroke Silver 2004 Athens 200 m medley Silver 2004 Athens 4x100 m medley Bronze 2000 Sydney2 200 m breaststroke World Championships (LC) Gold 2003 Barcelona 200 m Breaststroke Silver 2003 Barcelona 100 m Breaststroke Silver 2003 Barcelona 4x100 m Medley World Championsips (SC) Silver 1997 Gothenburg 4x100 m medley Silver 2002 Moscow 4 x 100 m medley relay Silver 2004 Indianapolis3 200 m breaststroke Silver 2004 Indianapolis 4 x 100 m medley relay Summer Universiade Silver 1999 Majorca 100 m breaststroke Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2002 Yokohama 100 m breaststroke Gold 2002 Yokohama 200 m breaststroke

Amanda Ray Beard (born October 29, 1981 in Newport Beach, California), is an Olympic-level swimmer and model from the United States of America. Beard participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics, and 2008 Summer Olympics, capturing a total of seven medals, the most recent in the 2004 games. She held the world number one ranking of 200 meter breaststrokers in 2003. In U.S. competition, Beard won three 200 meter breaststroke, three 100 meter breaststroke, and two 200 meter individual medley US National titles.

Career

1996 Summer Olympic Games

See also: Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Beard made her first Olympic appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games at the age of 14, while still a student at Irvine High School in Irvine, California.⁴ Her youth and shy manner captured the attention of the media, and she was often photographed clutching her teddy bear, even on the medal stand.

Beard became the second-youngest Olympic medalist in American swimming history.⁵

2000 Summer Olympic Games

See also: Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics

Beard attended the University of Arizona where she won an individual NCAA Division I championship in 2001. In 2003, she became the world champion and world record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke.

2004 Summer Olympic Games

See also: Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Beard made a good showing at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, qualifying to participate in four events at the Athens games.

2008 Summer Olympic Games

See also: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics

At the 2008 US Olympic Swim Trials, Beard finished second in the 200 meter breaststroke event, and she qualified for her fourth consecutive Olympics. On 30 July 2008, at the US swimming team's final training in Singapore, Beard, together with Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin, were elected co-captains of the US Olympic women’s swimming team.⁶

• DNA - Did not advance

In Beijing, Beard failed to reach the semifinals in the 200 meter breaststroke, placing 18th in the preliminaries.

Modeling and Advertising

Her modeling work has included appearances in FHM⁷, the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and she posed nude for the July 2007 issue of Playboy magazine.⁸

She is a spokeswoman for Defenders of Wildlife, and enjoys interior decorating. Both of her sisters, Leah and Taryn, are swimmers. Amanda placed eighth in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Celebrity car race in 2006.

In November 2007, Beard made her first television commercial for GoDaddy entitled "Shock". It featured her "flashing" the seven Olympic medals she won from 1996-2004. Mark Spitz made a cameo appearance.⁹

In April 2008, she joined Fox Network's popular sports talk program, The Best Damn Sports Show Period as a correspondent, covering major sporting events.¹⁰

In 2008, Beard participated in an anti-fur campaign for the organization PETA. She was photographed nude in front of an American Flag. The flag in that photograph is hung incorrectly according the the United States Flag Code with the blue field to the upper right.¹¹

Personal bests

Beard's personal bests in long-course meters are:

• 100 m breaststroke: 1:07.42
• 200 m breaststroke: 2:22.44 (3rd Fastest Swimmer in event)
• 200 m individual medley: 2:11.70

References

External links

• Amanda Beard Profile Page - Speaking topics.
• Official website
• Interview in May 2007 about her return to competitive swimming and her training for the upcoming Olympic Games.
• Photo gallery.
• Videos & Results on SwimPassion.net.
• PETA Anti-Fur Campaign.

Awards
Preceded by Natalie Coughlin	World American Swimmer of the Year 2003 – 2004	Succeeded by Katie Hoff
Preceded by Heather Mitts	ESPN Hottest Female Athlete 2005	Succeeded by Tanith Belbin