Rhi Jeffrey
Encyclopedia
Rhiannon "Rhi" Jeffrey is a former American swimmer who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
.
state titles while in high school at Atlantic Community High School
in Delray Beach, Florida
. She was named state swimmer of the year three years in a row by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In 2003, for her senior year at Atlantic, she was joined on the swim team by her younger sister Kirstie.
Jeffrey's first taste of international success was at the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
were she swam on the U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay team that took a silver medal. While still a senior in high school, she won two gold medals in the 2003 World Aquatics Championships
; swimming as part of the U.S. teams in both the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays.
Jeffrey was highly recruited, and chose to go across the country to the University of Southern California
in Los Angeles
. Just two weeks before the 2004 United States Olympic Trials
, Jeffrey was hospitalized with an abscessed tonsil; she recovered in time to take 4th place in the 200 metre freestyle at the competition, and earn a spot on the 4x200 metre relay team in Athens. In Athens she swam in the preliminary heats of the 4x200 freestyle relay, and when the U.S. team won the final, she was awarded a gold medal.
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
. She relocated to Salem, Massachusetts
, and took a job with Apple Inc.
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...
.
Swimming career
Jeffrey began swimming at the age of eight, and won eight FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
state titles while in high school at Atlantic Community High School
Atlantic Community High School
Atlantic Community High School is a public high school located in Delray Beach, Florida. It is part of the School District of Palm Beach County. Known for its academics, many students attend due to the school's International Baccalaureate program and its ranking as a top-rated school for many...
in Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
. She was named state swimmer of the year three years in a row by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In 2003, for her senior year at Atlantic, she was joined on the swim team by her younger sister Kirstie.
Jeffrey's first taste of international success was at the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
The ninth edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course event, was held in 2002 in Yokohama International Swimming Pool in Yokohama, Japan, from August 24–29. One world record was set over the six-day competition....
were she swam on the U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay team that took a silver medal. While still a senior in high school, she won two gold medals in the 2003 World Aquatics 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....
; swimming as part of the U.S. teams in both the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays.
Jeffrey was highly recruited, and chose to go across the country to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Just two weeks before the 2004 United States Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (swimming)
The United States Olympic Team Trials in Swimming are held before every Summer Olympics to select the participators for the USA's swimming team. The event is overseen by the United States Olympic Committee and run/operated by USA Swimming....
, Jeffrey was hospitalized with an abscessed tonsil; she recovered in time to take 4th place in the 200 metre freestyle at the competition, and earn a spot on the 4x200 metre relay team in Athens. In Athens she swam in the preliminary heats of the 4x200 freestyle relay, and when the U.S. team won the final, she was awarded a gold medal.
Retirement
In 2007, Jeffrey left USC and gave up swimming four months before the United States Olympic TrialsUnited States Olympic Trials (swimming)
The United States Olympic Team Trials in Swimming are held before every Summer Olympics to select the participators for the USA's swimming team. The event is overseen by the United States Olympic Committee and run/operated by USA Swimming....
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. She relocated to Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, and took a job with Apple Inc.