Amanda Beard

Infobox Swimmer
swimmername = Amanda Beard

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imagesize = 150px
caption =
fullname = Amanda Beard
nicknames =
nationality = USA
strokes = Breaststroke
club =
collegeteam =
birthdate =birth date and age|mf=yes|1981|10|29
birthplace =Newport Beach, California, United States
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = height|m=1.72
weight =
medaltemplates =

Amanda Ray Beard (born October 29, 1981 in Newport Beach, California), is an Olympic-level swimmer and model from the United States of America. Beard participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics, and 2008 Summer Olympics, capturing a total of seven medals, the most recent in the 2004 games. She held the world number one ranking of 200 meter breaststrokers in 2003. In U.S. competition, Beard won three 200 meter breaststroke, three 100 meter breaststroke, and two 200 meter individual medley US National titles.

Career

1996 Summer Olympic Games

"seealso|Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics"

Beard made her first Olympic appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games at the age of 14, while still a student at Irvine High School in Irvine, California. [Klein, Sarah A. [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/16987261.html?dids=16987261:16987261&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+15%2C+1996&author=SARAH+A.+KLEIN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Conquering+Heroine%3B+Amanda+Beard+Welcomed+Back+After+Olympic+Trial+Swim+Wins&pqatl=google "Conquering Heroine; Amanda Beard Welcomed Back After Olympic Trial Swim Wins"] , "Los Angeles Times", March 15, 1996. Accessed January 15, 2008.] Her youth and shy manner captured the attention of the media, and she was often photographed clutching her teddy bear, even on the medal stand.

2008 Summer Olympic Games

"seealso|Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics"

At the 2008 US Olympic Swim Trials, Beard finished second in the 200 meter breaststroke event, and she qualified for her fourth consecutive Olympics. On 30 July 2008, at the US swimming team's final training in Singapore, Beard, together with Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin, were elected co-captains of the US Olympic women’s swimming team. [cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympics_blog/2008/07/us-swim-teams-n.html|title=U.S. swim teams name captains for Beijing ]

* DNA - Did not advance

In Beijing, Beard failed to reach the semifinals in the 200 meter breaststroke, placing 18th in the preliminaries.

Modeling and Advertising

Her modeling work has included appearances in FHMcite web|url=http://www.neathage.info/2008/08/olympic-neathage-amanda-beard/|title=FHM Modeling pictures|accessmonthday=August 18|accessyear=2008] , the 2006 "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition", and she posed nude for the July 2007 issue of "Playboy" magazine.cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2901083|title=ESPN article|accessmonthday=June 2|accessyear=2008]

She is a spokeswoman for Defenders of Wildlife, and enjoys interior decorating. Both of her sisters, Leah and Taryn, are swimmers. Amanda placed eighth in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Celebrity car race in 2006.

In November 2007, Beard made her first television commercial for GoDaddy entitled "Shock". It featured her "flashing" the seven Olympic medals she won from 1996-2004. Mark Spitz made a cameo appearance. [cite news|url=http://www.timedfinals.com/07112007/amanda-beard-worlds-sexiest-athlete-flashes-go-daddy-magic/|title=Amanda Beard GoDaddy 'Shock' commercial|date=2007-11-7 "TimedFinals.com"]

In April 2008, she joined Fox Network's popular sports talk program, "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" as a correspondent, covering major sporting events. [cite news|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/7327498/The-scoop-on-Amanda-Beard|title=Amanda Beard on FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period "FoxSports.com"]

In 2008, Beard participated in an anti-fur campaign for the organization PETA. She was photographed nude in front of an American Flag. The flag in that photograph is hung incorrectly according the the United States Flag Code with the blue field to the upper right. [cite news|url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Amanda-Beard-Naked/800044642|title=Olympic Swimmer In Naked Controversy; PETA Sorry for Backwards Flag Flap|publisher=TV Guide
date=2008-06-30 "TVGuide.com"]

Personal bests

Beard's personal bests in long-course meters are:
*100 m breaststroke: 1:07.42
*200 m breaststroke: 2:22.44 (3rd Fastest Swimmer in event)
*200 m individual medley: 2:11.70

References

External links

* [http://www.pmgsports.com Amanda Beard Profile Page] - Speaking topics.
* [http://www.amandabeard.net Official website]
* [http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200705/amanda-beard-interview-1.html Interview in May 2007 about her return to competitive swimming and her training for the upcoming Olympic Games] .
* [http://outside.away.com/travel_photo_gallery/outside/amanda-beard/index.html Photo gallery] .
* [http://www.swimpassion.net/Athletes/amandabeard.html Videos & Results on SwimPassion.net] .
* [http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/amanda_beard PETA Anti-Fur Campaign] .

Persondata
NAME=Beard, Amanda
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Athlete
DATE OF BIRTH=October 29, 1981
PLACE OF BIRTH=Newport Beach, California, United States of America
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=