Janet Evans

Janet Beth Evans (born August 28, 1971) is a record-breaking American competitive swimmer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Born in Placentia, California, Evans started competitive swimming as a child. By the age of 11 she was setting National Age Group records in the longer events. In 1987, she broke the world records in the 400, 800 and 1500 meter freestyle events. After gaining membership on the 1988 US Olympic team, she went on to win three gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, setting a new world record in the 400 meter freestyle event. From then until the end of her career, she found herself competing mainly with her younger self, with less and less success. Evans won one more gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, after which her times, while good enough to win her membership on the 1996 US Olympic team, were no longer at the championship level. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, she would not qualify for the finals of the 400 meter freestyle event, as she had the ninth fastest time in heats. Later at those same Olympics, she competed in her final competitive race, finishing sixth in the 800 meter freestyle event.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evans was distinctive for her unorthodox asymmetric ("loping") stroke and her apparently inexhaustible cardiorespiratory reserves. Slight of build and short of stature, she more than once found herself competing and winning against bigger and stronger athletes, some of whom were subsequently found to have been using performance-enhancing drugs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

August 28: August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining....

1971: 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar)....

American: :This page disambiguates the many uses of American. For an article about those various uses, please see Use of the word American....

Janet Evans related Images and Photos (experimental)

Janet Munro	Janet Munro	Janet Leigh	Janet Leigh
Janet Blair	Janet Jackson	Janet Jackson	Lee Evans
Lee Evans	Dale Evans	Sara Evans	Linda Evans