Jenna Gresdal

Jenna Marie Gresdal (born September 19, 1984) is a Canadian former competitive swimmer who specialized in sprint freestyle events.[1] She became one of the youngest athletes (aged 15) to be selected for the Canadian team at the 2000 Summer Olympics. While studying in the United States, she earned six All-American honors for the University of Arizona at the NCAA Championships.

Jenna Gresdal
Personal information
Full nameJenna Marie Gresdal
National team Canada
Born (1984-09-19) September 19, 1984
Terrace Bay, Ontario
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight56 kg (123 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubEtobicoke Swim Club
College teamUniversity of Arizona (U.S.)

Gresdal started swimming at the age of 7, and later trained for Kevin Thorburn at the Etobicoke Swim Club in Toronto.[2] After graduating from high school at Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, Gresdal received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where she majored in education and swam for the Arizona Wildcats swimming and diving team under head coach Frank Busch. While swimming for the Wildcats, she received six All-American honors for the team relays at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, and also set team records in the 50-yard freestyle (23.23) at the Pac-12 Conference championships.[3][4]

Gresdal also competed in the women's 50-metre freestyle, as a 15-year-old, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She achieved a FINA A-standard of 25.93 from the Canadian Olympic Trials in Winnipeg, Manitoba.[5][6] She challenged seven other swimmers in heat ten, including Dutch rising star Inge de Bruijn and defending Olympic champion Amy Van Dyken. She rounded out the field to last place in 26.79, just 2.33 seconds off an Olympic record, set by De Bruijn. Gresdal failed to advance into the semifinals, as she placed thirty-eighth overall out of 74 swimmers in the prelims.[7][8]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jenna Gresdal". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  2. Hamila, Allison (January 26, 2006). "Far from home: Gresdal makes sacrifices for her craft". Arizona Daily Wildcat. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  3. "Swim and Dive Prepare for Season Opener Against Wisconsin and Penn State". Arizona Wildcats. October 28, 2005. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  4. "Keller, Coughlin Set Pac-10 Records but Stanford Leads After Day Two of Championships)". Swimming World Magazine. February 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  5. "Swimming – Women's 50m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 10)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  6. Granger, Grant (August 6, 2000). "Golden moment for Jenna". Winnipeg Sun. Canoe.ca. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  7. "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Women's 50m Freestyle Heat 10" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 167. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 19, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  8. "Results from the Summer Olympics – Swimming (Women's 50m Freestyle)". Canoe.ca. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
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