Jani Sievinen

Infobox Swimmer
swimmername=Jani Sievinen


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fullname = Jani Nikanor Sievinen
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nationality = FIN
strokes = Backstroke and Medley
club = Nummelan Kisaajat
collegeteam =
birthdate = birth date and age|1974|3|31
birthplace = Vihti, Etelä-Suomen
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = height|m=1.81
weight =
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Jani Nikanor Sievinen (Audio|Fi-Jani_Sievinen.ogg|pronunciation; born March 31, 1974 in Vihti) is a former medley swimmer from Finland, who won the silver medal in the 200 m individual medley at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Together with Antti Kasvio he was Finland's leading swimmer in the 1990s, thanks to his father Esa Sievinen who made him one of the most versatile swimmers in the world.

He won his first title in long course, at the 1993 European Swimming Championships in Sheffield, and became world champion one year later, at the 1994 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy in the 200 m Individual Medley. Sievinen competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1992.

At the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2006 in Helsinki the four-time World and twelve-time European Champion concluded his 16-year international career which started with the 50 m backstroke gold medal at the European Sprint Championships in Gelsenkirchen (GER) in 1991. Called “Mr Swimming Finland“ in his home country, he is focusing on winning a further and last medal at the upcoming Continental Championships.

The highlight in Sievinen’s career were the 1994 FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome at the age of 20. He not only gained his only world title on long course in 200 m medley over 1:58.16 minutes but also set a world record that stood of almost nine years before it was broken by the then shooting star Michael Phelps (USA) in 2003. On short course, Sievinen was the fastest swimmer in the World in the 200 m medley for more than twelve years (1992–2004).

References

* [http://www.janisievinen.com/ Personal website]
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/jani-sievinen-1.html sports-reference]