Jenny Thompson

Jenn Thompson is one of the most decorated American Olympians in history. During her career in the pool she won 12 medals at the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic games in the butterfly and freestyle events. She began swimming at a young age in her hometown of Dover, New Hampshire, and burst on to the international scene in 1987, winning the 50-meter freestyle and placing third in the 100-meter freestyle at the Pan American Games at the age of 14. From 1989 to 2004 she 25 gold medals, seven silver medals and two bronze medals at the Pan Pacific Games, 11 gold medals, five silver medals and two bronze medals at the Short Course World Championships, seven gold medals, five silver medals and two bronze medals at the Long Course World Championships and eight gold medals, three silver medals and a bronze medal at the Olympic games. She also swam on the Stanford University swim team and helped lead them to 19 individual and relay NCAA titles. Her outstanding performances led to her being named the 1993 and 1998 USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year, Swimming World Magazine and Female World Swimmer of the Year in 1998, and Women’s Sports Foundation’s Athlete of the Year in 2000. Thompson earned a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2006, and has since become a resident anesthesiologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.