The leading women’s medal winner in swimming in Beijing, the 20-year-old from Brisbane, Queensland, won three Olympic gold medals - the 200 and 400 metres individual medley and the 4x200 metres freestyle relay. She set new world records in both individual events, improving the mark for the 400 metres by an impressive 1.67 secs. In total in 2008 she set five new world records. She had won two bronze medals in the World Championship in Melbourne in 2007, but her improvement and eventual success in Beijing made her the toast of Australia.
