Jacqueline Rose "Jacqui" Freney (born 6 June 1992) is an Australian

Paralympic swimmer Para swimming is an adaptation of the sport of swimming for athletes with disabilities. Para swimmers compete at the Summer Paralympic Games and at other sports competitions throughout the world. The sport is governed by the International Para ...

. At the 2012 London Games, she broke

Siobhan Paton Siobhan Bethany Paton, OAM (born 28 August 1983) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer who was born in Sydney. Paton has had an intellectual disability from birth which was a consequence a lack of oxygen. Paton decided to become a swimmer after ...

's Australian record of six gold medals at a single Games by winning her seventh gold medal in the Women's 400 m Freestyle S7. She finished the Games with eight gold medals, more than any other participant in the Games.

Biography

010912 - Jacqueline Freney - 3b - 2012 Summer Paralympics

Jacqueline Rose Freney was born in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

with cerebral palsy diplegia. She won three bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Games in the women's 100m freestyle S8 event, 400m freestyle S8 event and 50m freestyle S8 event. In 2012 at the London Paralympic Games she won 8 gold medals in the women's 100m backstroke S7, women's 50m butterfly S7, 100m freestyle S7, 400m freestyle S7, 50m freestyle S7, 200m individual medley SM7, 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34 pts, and the medleyrelay event. She broke

's Australian record of six gold medals at a single Games by winning her seventh gold medal in the Women's 400 m Freestyle S7. In breaking the record she said "Seven, I am in heaven". She finished the Games with eight gold medals, more than any other participant in the games. Freney lives in Skenners Head,

Ballina, New South Wales Ballina () is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire local government area. Ballina's urban population at June 2018 was 26,381. The town lies on the Richmond River and serves as a ...

, and is coached by her father Michael. Her grandfather Peter Freney coached 2000 Sydney Games multiple gold medallist

. Freney's grandfather now assists in her career development. In 2008, she was awarded an

Australian Institute of Sport The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is a high performance sports training institution in Australia. The Institute's headquarters were opened in 1981 and are situated in the northern suburb of Bruce, Canberra. The AIS is a division of the ...

paralympic swimming scholarship. At the 2010

IPC Swimming World Championships The World Para Swimming Championships, known before 30 November 2016 as the IPC Swimming World Championships, are the world championships for swimming where athletes with a disability compete. They are organised by the International Paralympic C ...

Eindhoven Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,

In February 2012 Freney was named

Ballina Shire Ballina Shire is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed on 1 January 1977 by the amalgamation of the Municipality of Ballina and Tintenbar Shire. The Shire is located adjacent t ...

's Sportsperson of the Year. She was a finalist for the 2012 Australian Paralympian of the Year, and won both best female and the top overall honour. In 2012, Freney was declared Paralympian of the Year by Australia Post and this achievement was celebrated with the release of a commemorative stamp which featured the inspirational athlete. In November 2013 she was named New South Wales

Young Australian of the Year The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, a not-for-profit Australian Governmentowned social enterprise. Similar awards are also conferred at the State and Territo ...

for 2014. On 25 January 2014 she was named Young Australian of the Year. The following day she was also awarded a

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

"For service to sport as a gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games". In October 2014 she was inducted into the Path of Champions at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. Freney earned her Young Australian of the Year award in 2014 by being actively involved in the community, working with Swimming Australia as a motivational speaker to help people with disabilities to reach their true potential.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Freney, Jacqueline Female Paralympic swimmers of Australia Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Paralympic gold medalists for Australia Paralympic bronze medalists for Australia Australian Institute of Sport Paralympic swimmers Cerebral Palsy category Paralympic competitors Australian female backstroke swimmers Australian female butterfly swimmers Australian female freestyle swimmers Australian female medley swimmers World record holders in paralympic swimming 1992 births Living people Sportswomen from Queensland Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Medalists at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Swimmers from Brisbane S7-classified Paralympic swimmers Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships Paralympic medalists in swimming 21st-century Australian women