Profile
Personal details
Date of Birth:
12th September 1986 (23)
SPORT:
Swimming
EVENTS:
200m, 400m & 800m Freestyle
HEIGHT:
1.84m
WEIGHT:
78kg
TEAMS:
Loughborough University & Great Britain
HOME:
Richmond, North Yorkshire
LIVES:
Loughborough
COACH:
Kevin Renshaw
Biography
Jo first represented Great Britain in 2001 as a junior. In 2003 she was selected as a senior and immediately had her first major success when she medaled at the European Short Course Championships.
The following year at only 17 years of age Jo was selected to swim in her first Olympic Games in Athens in the 400m freestyle, but she still regards failing to progress past the heats as the biggest disappointment of her career.
In 2006 as a member of England’s Commonwealth Games team in Melbourne Jo won a brace of silver medals.
At last year’s Olympics in Beijing Jo put the memories of Athens behind her for good winning the 400m freestyle bronze medal in a thrilling race where she was just touched out of the gold & silver medals.
Since returning from Beijing Jo’s performances have been outstanding. At the British Championships in March she beat her close friend, Rebecca Adlington in the 400m freestyle setting a new World Record at the time. She also bettered her time over 800m by 6 seconds at the Scottish Championships in June.
Having had such a great build up to the 2009 World Championships in Rome in July, Jo was expected to do really well and she didn’t disappoint.
An incredible swim in the fastest women’s 400m race of all time brought her first success of the championships with a silver medal, beating Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington who came third, followed by bronze in the 4x200m relay in a new European record time.
Then in the 800m Jo showed that even over the longer distance she has the strength to sprint at the end of the race, passing the Italian swimmer in the final 25 metres to take another silver medal, again defeating her close friend Rebecca Adlington who finished 4th.
On her return from Rome Jo’s sensational season continued setting a new 400m freestyle World Record (short course).
Achievements
Olympic Games
- 2008 Long Course Bronze 400m Freestyle 4:03.52
- 2008 Long Course 9th 4x200m Freestyle Relay 7:56.16
- 2008 Long Course 14th 200m Freestyle 1:58.70
- 2004 Long Course 21st 400m Freestyle 4:14.89
- 2004 Long Course 4x200m Freestyle Relay 2.00.89 (Heat)
World Championships
- 2009 Long Course Silver 400m Freestyle 4:00.60 BR
- 2009 Long Course Silver 800m Freestyle 8:16.66
- 2009 Long Course Bronze 4x200m Freestyle 7:45.51 ER
- 2009 Long Course 4th 200m Freestyle 1:55.88
- 2007 Long Course 5th 4x200m Freestyle Relay 7:57.02
- 2007 Long Course 7th 400m Freestyle 4:07.42
- 2005 Long Course 7th 400m Freestyle 4:08.88
- 2005 Long Course 4th 4x200m Freestyle Relay 7:59.04
- 2008 Short Course Bronze 400m Freestyle 4:01.11
- 2008 Short Course 6th 800m Freestyle 8:18.87
European Championships
- 2008 Long Course Silver 4x200m Freestyle 7:52.36
- 2006 Long Course Silver 400m Freestyle 4:07.76
- 2006 Long Course 4th 4x200m Freestyle Relay 7:57.86 BR
- 2006 Long Course 5th 200m Freestyle 1:59.30
- 2005 Short Course Silver 400m Freestyle 4:01.12
- 2005 Short Course 6th 200m Freestyle 1:56.72
- 2005 Short Course 8th 200m Butterfly 2:09.81
- 2003 Short Course 31st 200m Freestyle 2:00.71
- 2003 Short Course Gold 400m Freestyle 4:04.00
Commonwealth Games
- 2006 Long Course Silver 400m Freestyle 4:08.36
- 2006 Long Course Silver 4x200m Freestyle Relay 8.01.23
- 2006 Long Course 6th 200m Freestyle 1:59.59