Giaan Rooney
Giaan Rooney (b. November 15, 1982) is an Australian swimmer who won a gold medal in world record time with her teammates Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas, and Jodie Henry at the Athens Olympics in the Women's 4 x 100 metre Medley Relay. Giaan swum a personal best and new Australian record time of 1:01.18 to help Australia to the Gold - the maiden victory by Australia in this event in Olympic history. The 2004 Games are Rooney's second Olympics, having debuted at the Sydney games. Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Giaan made her international debut for Australia at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, where as a 15-year-old, she won Gold in the 100m backstroke - despite being an unknown rookie and being up the night before, ill with a stomach bug. Rooney was also part of Australia's gold-medal winning 4 x 100m medley relay team at the '98 Games. Rooney trains at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, in Victoria, Australia and is coached by Ian Pope. Training partners include Australian team members Matt Welsh, Michael Klim (who was also her boyfriend for two years) and Brett Hawke. She has previously trained at the Miami club in Queensland, where she was coached by Denis Cotterell. Training partners there included Grant Hackett and Daniel Kowalski. Giaan swum with this club since she began swimming at the club from age 11 up until 2002 when she then moved to Melbourne.
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OTHER RESULTS: - 2000 Olympics - SILVER - 4 x 200m freestyle relay (team mates Kirsten Thompson, Susie O'Neill and Petria Thomas), SILVER - 4 x 100m medley relay (swum in morning preliminary session).
- Rooney is the former World Champion in the 200m freestyle, winning the event at the 2001 Fukuoka World Swimming Championships in Japan. This event was also widely remembered for the disqualification of the Australian Women's team after the jumped in the water to celebrate victory in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay, the team of Elka Graham, Petria Thomas and Linda Mackenzie joined anchor swimmer Rooney in the water to celebrate their win, but as it was before all competitors had finished the event, they were disqualifed.
- Rooney competed in her second 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. - SILVER - 4 x 200m freestyle relay (Team: Elka Graham, Giaan Rooney, Rebecca Creedy and Petria Thomas).BRONZE - 100m backstroke - Silver to Australian team mate Dyana Calub. Gold was won by Sarah Price of England.
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