Haley Cope
Encyclopedia
Haley Clark (born April 11, 1979 in Crescent City, California
) is a retired American swimmer. She won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, eight world championship medals, and held a world record in the 50 metre backstroke.
from 1998 to 2001. In 2000, she was named the Pac-10 Conference swimmer of the year, and helped lead California to a fourth-place finish nationally. Clark was the second of three consecutive conference swimmers of the year from Berkeley; Marylyn Chiang
in 1999, herself in 2000, and Natalie Coughlin
in 2001, 2002, and 2003. At the 2000 NCAA national championships in Indianapolis
, she swam the 50 metre backstroke in 27.25 seconds, breaking Sandra Völker
's short course world record
. She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree
in mass communications. In 2001, she won a gold medal in the 50 metre backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship
, and two medals at the final Goodwill Games
. Her 50 metre backstroke performance at the Goodwill Games was a record time for the competition.
. She won gold medal in the 100 metre backstroke, and two silver medals in the 50 metre backstroke, and the 4x100 metre medley relay, in which she swam the backstroke leg. In 2003, she swam at her second long course world championships
in Barcelona
, where she won a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley relay. Clark's last major international competition was in October 2004, at the 2004 Short Course World Swimming Championships in Indianapolis
. In Indianapolis, she repeated as world champion in the 100 metre backstroke, as well as winning the 50 metre backstroke. As part of the American team, she won a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley relay.
.
Crescent City, California
Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City had a total population of 7,643 in the 2010 census, up from 4,006 in the 2000 census...
) is a retired American swimmer. She won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, eight world championship medals, and held a world record in the 50 metre backstroke.
Career at Berkeley
Clark swam at the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
from 1998 to 2001. In 2000, she was named the Pac-10 Conference swimmer of the year, and helped lead California to a fourth-place finish nationally. Clark was the second of three consecutive conference swimmers of the year from Berkeley; Marylyn Chiang
Marylyn Chiang
Marylyn Chiang is a former Canadian swimmer who won two silver medals at the 2000 FINA Short Course World Championships in Athens, Greece. She has held Commonwealth, US Open, NCAA and Canadian records in backstroke and butterfly, including the Canadian 100m backstroke record for 9 years...
in 1999, herself in 2000, and Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...
in 2001, 2002, and 2003. At the 2000 NCAA national championships in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, she swam the 50 metre backstroke in 27.25 seconds, breaking Sandra Völker
Sandra Völker
Sandra Völker is a freestyle and backstroke swimmer from Germany, who won a total number of three medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There she made her second Olympic appearance, after her debut four years earlier in Barcelona, Spain...
's short course world record
World record progression 50 metres backstroke
-Long course:-Short course:-Long course:-Short course:-References:...
. She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in mass communications. In 2001, she won a gold medal in the 50 metre backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship
Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming events of the 2001 World Aquatics Championships were held in a temporary pool at Marine Messe in Fukuoka, Japan in July 2001. This edition of the championships featured 20 events for both men and women, including the introduction of a 50 m event in all strokes and equality in the...
, and two medals at the final Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
. Her 50 metre backstroke performance at the Goodwill Games was a record time for the competition.
World Championships and Olympics
After graduating from Berkeley, Clark continued her swimming career, winning her second world championship at the 2002 Short Course World Swimming Championships held in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. She won gold medal in the 100 metre backstroke, and two silver medals in the 50 metre backstroke, and the 4x100 metre medley relay, in which she swam the backstroke leg. In 2003, she swam at her second long course world championships
2003 World Aquatics Championships
Barcelona, Spain was the host city of the X FINA World Aquatics Championships or the 10th FINA World Championships in Aquatics, which were held from July 12 until July 27, 2003....
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, where she won a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley relay. Clark's last major international competition was in October 2004, at the 2004 Short Course World Swimming Championships in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. In Indianapolis, she repeated as world champion in the 100 metre backstroke, as well as winning the 50 metre backstroke. As part of the American team, she won a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley relay.
Personal life
Clark married her former coach, Brian Clark in 2002, and has three children. She is currently operating a swimming school in Chico. In 2004, Clark posed nude for the September issue of Playboy MagazinePlayboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
.