Jane Saville
Encyclopedia
Jane Kara Saville is an Australia
n race walker
who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
. She was born in Sydney
.
Saville, from an athletically-inclined family, competed in swimming and surf lifesaving events as well as walking as a junior athlete. She has competed at four Olympics, with a midfield result in 1996
. In the 20 km racewalking event at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in her home city of Sydney, when heading into the stadium's tunnel for the final stretch, Saville was disqualified for an illegal gait (lifting: a very common occurrence in race walking - the previous leader of the event had already been disqualified). Saville collapsed in tears; afterwards, when asked what she needed, she replied "A gun to shoot myself". Saville recovered her composure soon after and was publicly philosophical about her loss.
On her bronze medal in Athens, Saville stated "Nothing will make up for a gold medal in your home town, but you know this is where the Olympics began and any medal here, you know, I'm absolutely ecstatic with it".
Saville has also won three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games
, in the 10 kilometre walk in 1998, in the 20 kilometre walk in 2002 and 2006. She has won the Australian women's race walking championship five times. She was the Australian flagbearer
at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
.
She is coached by her husband, Matt White, a professional cyclist. She splits her time between Sydney and Oliva
, Spain
. Her sister, Natalie Saville
, is also a race walker and finished second to her at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Saville announced her retirement from competitive racewalking in February 2009, with her future plans including continued work in community health and fitness promotion, and a role on the IAAF race walking technical committee.
Saville has completed a Bachelor's degree in social sciences from the University of New South Wales
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n race walker
Race walking
Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance athletic event. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times...
who won a bronze 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...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. She was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Saville, from an athletically-inclined family, competed in swimming and surf lifesaving events as well as walking as a junior athlete. She has competed at four Olympics, with a midfield result in 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. In the 20 km racewalking event at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in her home city of Sydney, when heading into the stadium's tunnel for the final stretch, Saville was disqualified for an illegal gait (lifting: a very common occurrence in race walking - the previous leader of the event had already been disqualified). Saville collapsed in tears; afterwards, when asked what she needed, she replied "A gun to shoot myself". Saville recovered her composure soon after and was publicly philosophical about her loss.
On her bronze medal in Athens, Saville stated "Nothing will make up for a gold medal in your home town, but you know this is where the Olympics began and any medal here, you know, I'm absolutely ecstatic with it".
Saville has also won three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, in the 10 kilometre walk in 1998, in the 20 kilometre walk in 2002 and 2006. She has won the Australian women's race walking championship five times. She was the Australian flagbearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
She is coached by her husband, Matt White, a professional cyclist. She splits her time between Sydney and Oliva
Oliva
Oliva is a municipality in the comarca of Safor in the Valencian Community, Spain, in the Valencian language area. To its east lie 10 km of coastline and beaches fronting the Mediterranean Sea....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Her sister, Natalie Saville
Natalie Saville
Natalie Saville is an Australian race walker.She finished second in the 20 km race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games behind her sister, Jane, after finishing 4th at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 36th in the same event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
, is also a race walker and finished second to her at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Saville announced her retirement from competitive racewalking in February 2009, with her future plans including continued work in community health and fitness promotion, and a role on the IAAF race walking technical committee.
Saville has completed a Bachelor's degree in social sciences from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.