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Background[]

Career Highlights:[]

Earned gold and broke the 50m breaststroke world record at the 2008 Short Course World Championships ... also earned gold at set the world record in the 100m breast at 2008 Short Course Worlds ... At the 2005 World Championships, in which she was a U.S. National Team rookie, set a world record in the semis of the 100m breast before ultimately finishing second in the finals; also earned silver in the 50m breast and as a member of the 400m medley relay ... won the 50m breast and captured silver on the 400m medley relay at the 2007 World Championships ... won her second U.S. national title in the 100m breast at the ====2005==== Nationals ... won her first NCAA title in the 100y breast at the 2006 NCAA Championships ... finished fifth in the 100m breast at the 2004 Olympic Trials

World Championships[]

2007: Gold, 50m BR; Silver, 400m MR-R(pr); 4, 100m BR ... 2005: Silver, 50 & 100m BR and 400m MR (set 100 WR in sf-now broken) Duel in the Pool History: 2007: 4, 100m BR; 7, 50m FR ... 2005: Silver, 50 & 100m BR and 400m MR (set 100 WR in sf-now broken)

2007 World Rankings:[]

23rd, 50m free; 97th, 100m free; 1st, 50m breast; 6th, 100m breast;

2006 World Rankings:[]

2nd, 100m breast

2005 World Rankings:[]

1st, 100m breast

Records:[]

Holds WR in 50m BR (Short Course Meters), set at 2008 Worlds short course ... Holds WR in 100m BR (Short Course Meters) (Semi), set at 2008 Worlds short course ... Holds WR in 400m MED-R (Short Course Meters), set at 2008 Worlds short course ... Holds AR in 100m BR (Short Course Meters), set at 2008 Worlds short course ... Holds (United States (also known as USA) Flag of the United States / American Record) in 50m BR (Short Course Meters), set at 2008 SC Worlds ... Holds NAG (17-18) in 100m BR (Semi), set at 2005 World Championships

United States (also known as USA) Flag of the United States Swim Titles[]

100m Breast (2): '05 SUM, '04 SUM

Insights[]

The World Anti-Doping Agency and swimming's governing body appealed to sports' highest court to restore Jessica Hardy's two-year doping ban.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said in May that WADA and FINA want the American swimmer barred for two years and ruled out of the 2012 London Games. CAS is expected to rule within four months.

Hardy tested positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol at the U.S. Olympic trials last July 2008 and missed the Beijing Games.

The American Arbitration Association reduced her ban to one year instead of the standard two in May 2009. The arbitrators found the failed drug test was caused by a contaminated nutritional supplement and requested that Hardy not lose her eligibility for London.

International Olympic Committee rules state that athletes are barred from the next games if they incur a doping ban of at least six months. Hardy's suspension is to end July 31, 2009.

She was to swim in Beijing in the 100-meter breaststroke, 50 freestyle and the 400 free relay.

Talking

"She accepts the fact that the testing was properly done and the results properly reported," her lawyer, Howard Jacobs, said in a statement released on July 1, 2008. He said investigations were trying to determine the source of the clenbuterol. Once those are completed, Jacobs said, Hardy "will seek to have her period of suspension reduced substantially" by presenting evidence to an arbitration panel. Jacobs expects a hearing on the issue to occur within several months. "Jessica did not knowingly or intentionally take any banned substances," Jacobs said, noting Hardy has cooperated fully with USADA since she was informed July 21 of her positive test.

"Jessica is heartbroken at this turn of events, as making the U.S. Olympic team was her cherished dream and proudest moment," Jacobs said. "She intends to resume her swimming career as soon as possible, and to again fulfill her Olympic dream in 2012."

Jessica Hardy withdrew from 2008 Olympics after positive drug test and partial appeal[]

August 1, 2008 news

  • Hardy could have contested the drug test results and then filed an appeal
  • Hardy tested positive for a low level of clenbuterol, a prohibited anabolic agent

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Swimmer Jessica Hardy withdrew from the U.S. Olympic team Friday, August 1, 2008, four weeks after testing positive for a banned substance at the Olympic swim trials.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced Hardy's decision, saying she did so "in the best interests of the team."

The 21-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., could have contested the drug test results before the American Arbitration Association and potentially filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which would have kept her first Olympic berth in doubt until the eve of the games that open Aug. 8.

"While some might have chosen to exhaust their legal options to try to force their way into the games, Jessica instead chose to put her team's interests ahead of her own," said Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of USADA.

Hardy tested positive for a low level of clenbuterol, a prohibited anabolic agent, at the trials on July 4, 2008.

Jessica Hardy told the AP in a July 25, 2008, interview that she was innocent and said she had no idea how she tested positive for clenbuterol.

"I had never even heard of this drug," she said. "I've never wanted to do anything remotely close to doping. It's never, ever crossed my mind. I've never been approached about doing it. It's never been an issue my entire career. It's the last thing I would ever do."

The U.S. swim team was training in Singapore on Friday and leaves Monday for Beijing.

Hardy qualified for the Olympics in two individual events -- the 100-meter breaststroke and 50 freestyle -- and the 400 free relay. She was a strong contender to medal in her specialty, the breaststroke.

Hardy's withdrawal allows USA Swimming to place swimmers already on the team in her open events, according to executive director Chuck Wielgus.

Olympic rookie Rebecca Soni, who trained with Hardy at USC, will swim the 100 breast and Kara Lynn Joyce will swim the 50 free, he said.

It's the second lucky break Joyce has gotten since the trials.

The 22-year-old Georgia swimmer was initially added to the team as an alternate on the 400 free relay after Dara Torres withdrew from the 100 free.

Joyce finished third in the 50 free at the trials -- one spot out of making the team. She was seventh in the 100 free at the trials -- one spot out of making the team, which left her in tears afterward. She earned two silver medals in Athens, in the 400 free and 400 medley relays.

The 100 breast will be Soni's second individual event; she had qualified in the 200 breast.

A panel from the American Arbitration Association issued a decision Friday that was jointly agreed to by Hardy and USADA after Hardy had a full opportunity to review the laboratory test results and to have those results analyzed by independent experts.

Hardy did not contest the laboratory findings and was granted additional time by the arbitration panel to investigate possible causes of her positive drug test.

The decision allows for a two-year period of ineligibility but allows Hardy to come back to the panel to present evidence that could reduce her period of ineligibility.

Hardy was tested three times during the trials in Omaha, Neb. The results were negative for the samples taken on July 1, after she won the 100 breaststroke, and on July 6, shortly after she finished second in the 50 free.

But Hardy's "A" and backup "B" samples both came back positive from the test on July 4, when she finished fourth in the 100 free.

Details[]

General Accolades: 2005 USA Swimming Breakout Performer of the Year National Teams: Two-time National A Team (2005-06) All-Star Team: Two-time (2005-06) Meet Honors: Two-time 18&under National Champion at 2004 CP Spring and Summer Nationals Collegiate: Two-time individual NCAA Champion High School: Broke the National High School record in the 100y breast in 2005, which earned her Swimming World's High School Swimmer of the Year

Personal:[]

High School: Long Beach Wilson '05

Family, Village, Community[]

Parents: George Hardy and Denise Robinson … father is a chemical engineer, and mother is a clinical social worker … Denise was a former swimmer at Indiana State University … stepfather is Bill Robinson, and he is an aviation and intellectual properties attorney who attended the U.S. Naval Academy

Sibling(s): Younger sister (Amanda) plays water polo and swims … stepsister (Kerri Robinson-Johnson) works as a corporate marketer for McDonalds

Notable Relative(s): Grandfather (John Tourtellot) was on the crew team at Columbia University

Sports Played Before Swimming: Water polo

Nickname(s): Jess

Pet(s): Three cats (King Tut, Zeus and Caliente) are all Abyssinians

Hobbies Outside the Pool: All water sports (surfing, water polo and scuba diving), hanging out with friends and family … “I’m your typical ‘Southern Cali’ girl” … also enjoys finding good music to listen to, traveling and relaxing as much as possible

Ultimate Way to Relax: Laying out on a tropical beach for vacation or on the beach at home in Long Beach

Most Influential Person: Dave Salo, Staciana Stitts, parents … “My parents have always supported me, through the ups and downs.”

Training Notes[]

2008[]

Swims 6,000 meters/yards per day, 3 hours a day, 6 days a week

Splash:[]

  • Five World medals (1g, 4s)

International Medals[]

2008 Worlds short course[]

2008: Gold, 100m BR (Short Course Meters) (United States (also known as USA) Flag of the United States / American Record); Gold, 400m MED-R (Short Course Meters) (WR); Gold, 50m BR (Short Course Meters) (WR) 2007 World Championships 2007: Gold, 50m BR 2006 Pan Pacific Champs 2006: Gold, 400m MED-R

Top Times[]

Event 50m FR 100m FR 100m BR 200m BR Best 24.85 54.44 1:06.20 2:34.27 Year May 08 May 08 Jul 05 May 06

2008[]

SC WORLDS - 4 Final, 50m FR (Short Course Meters); 1 Final, 50m BR (Short Course Meters) (WR); 1 Final, 50m BR (Short Course Meters) (United States (also known as USA) Flag of the United States / American Record); 1 Final, 100m BR (Short Course Meters) (United States (also known as USA) Flag of the United States / American Record); 1 Final, 400m MED-R (Short Course Meters) (WR)

2007[]

SCY NATS - t7 Final, 50y FR; t8 Final, 100y FR; t1 Final, 100y BR SUM NATS - 8 Final, 50m FR; t20 Final, 100m FR; 6 Final, 100m BR; 8 Final, 400m FR-R; 4 Final, 400m MED-R MoO DiP - 7 Final, 50m FR; 4 Final, 100m BR WORLD - 1 Final, 50m BR; 4 Final, 100m BR; 2 Final(pr), 400m MED-R

2006[]

PAN PAC - 9 Final, 100m BR; 1 Final, 400m MED-R SUM NATS - t2 Final, 100m BR SC WORLD - 3 Final, 50m BR (Short Course Meters); 4 Final, 100m BR (Short Course Meters) NCAA - 1 Final, 100y BR

2005[]

SUM NATS - 1 Final, 100m BR MoO DiP - 2 Final, 100m BR WORLD - 2 Final, 50m BR; 2 Semi, 50m BR; 2 Final, 100m BR; 1 Semi, 100m BR (NAG (17-18)) WC TRIALS - 2 Final, 100m BR 2004 OLY TRIALS - 7 Final, 100m BR 2003 US OPEN - 11 Final, 100m BR SPG NATS - 16 Final, 100m BR 2002 SUM NATS - 26 Prelim, 100m BR --Rauterkus 02:59, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

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