Susan O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Susan O'Neill (born 2 August 1973) is an Australian former competitive swimmer from Brisbane
, Queensland
. She was nickname
d "Madame Butterfly". She won the 200 m butterfly at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
and the 200 m freestyle in Sydney
. She trained under Scott Volkers at the Commercial Swimming Club
in Brisbane
. She holds the Australian women’s record for the most Olympic medals (eight), with Dawn Fraser
, Leisel Jones
and Petria Thomas
.
After winning a gold and a silver medal in her first attendance at a competition at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
, O'Neill never failed to win a medal at any international meet she attended, right up until her final Olympics in front of a home crowd in Australia. At the 2000 Australia Trials before the Sydney Olympics, she broke the 19-year old world record of another "Madame Butterfly: Mary T. Meagher
in the women's 200m butterfly, but was beaten at the Sydney games by American Misty Hyman
, in an upset; Hyman lowered her personal best by around 3% during the meet.
in Brisbane
. She is now married to Cliff and a mother of two children, Alix and William.
In 2002, she was inducted into Sport Australia's Hall of Fame
.
. She is also ambassador for companies such as SAAB and Kellogg's, and has her own line of swimsuits that is sold in Target stores throughout Australia.
She commentated at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
. She was the Oceania athletes' representative on the International Olympic Committee
to 2005, when she resigned her membership (and was replaced by Barbara Kendall
).
On 10 March 2007, O'Neill was honoured by having the temporary swimming pool in the Rod Laver Arena
in Melbourne named after her for the duration of the 12th FINA World Championships
, the site of the swimming events.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. She was nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "Madame Butterfly". She won the 200 m butterfly at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
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....
and the 200 m freestyle in Sydney
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...
. She trained under Scott Volkers at the Commercial Swimming Club
Commercial Swimming Club
Commercial Swimming Club is a swimming club that is based at the Fortitude Valley Pool in centre of Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the most successful clubs in Australia and has produced many Olympic swimmers and medalists.- Notable athletes :...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. She holds the Australian women’s record for the most Olympic medals (eight), with Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser AO, MBE is an Australian champion swimmer. She is one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times – in her case the 100 meters freestyle....
, Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...
and Petria Thomas
Petria Thomas
Petria Ann Thomas OAM is an Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist and a winner of 15 national titles. She was born in Lismore, New South Wales and grew up in the nearby town of Mullumbimby....
.
After winning a gold and a silver medal in her first attendance at a competition at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
1990 Commonwealth Games
The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo,...
, O'Neill never failed to win a medal at any international meet she attended, right up until her final Olympics in front of a home crowd in Australia. At the 2000 Australia Trials before the Sydney Olympics, she broke the 19-year old world record of another "Madame Butterfly: Mary T. Meagher
Mary T. Meagher
Mary Terstegge Meagher Plant is an Olympic champion and former World Record holding swimmer from the United States...
in the women's 200m butterfly, but was beaten at the Sydney games by American Misty Hyman
Misty Hyman
Misty Dawn Marie Hyman is a former American swimmer who won the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.-1996 Olympic Trials:...
, in an upset; Hyman lowered her personal best by around 3% during the meet.
Life
O'Neill was educated at Lourdes Hill CollegeLourdes Hill College
Lourdes Hill College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day and was a boarding school for girls, located in Hawthorne, an inner-eastern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. She is now married to Cliff and a mother of two children, Alix and William.
In 2002, she was inducted into Sport Australia's Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
.
Post swimming career
O'Neill is an ambassador for the Fred Hollows FoundationThe Fred Hollows Foundation
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organization based in Australia founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems...
. She is also ambassador for companies such as SAAB and Kellogg's, and has her own line of swimsuits that is sold in Target stores throughout Australia.
She commentated 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...
for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. She was the Oceania athletes' representative on the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
to 2005, when she resigned her membership (and was replaced by Barbara Kendall
Barbara Kendall
Barbara Kendall, MBE is a boardsailor from New Zealand. Kendall was raised at Bucklands Beach and attended Macleans College...
).
On 10 March 2007, O'Neill was honoured by having the temporary swimming pool in the Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium...
in Melbourne named after her for the duration of the 12th FINA World Championships
2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
, the site of the swimming events.
External links
- Olympic Swimmer Susie O'Neill - ABC Queensland (Australian Broadcasting Corporation website)