Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Brisbane, QLD, AUS |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
Chandler Swimming Club: Brisbane, QLD, AUS |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Reading, running, going to the movies, listening to music. (redleagueslawnton.org.au, 22 Dec 2006; fujixerox.com.au, 22 Dec 2006) |
Injuries |
She had emergency surgery in late April 2012 following a burst cyst on an ovary. The surgery laid her up for two weeks, after which she eased back into training. (heraldsun.com.au, 02 May 2012)
She has suffered from asthma since she was a child. In 2007 she had her treatment reviewed after she contracted a string of chest infections over a three month period. (The Australian, 21 Nov 2007) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning individual gold at the 2009 World Championships and setting a world record for the 200m butterfly. (QAS, 24 Jul 2009; Swimming Australia, 16 Jun 2010) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
Her doctor encouraged her to swim because she had serious asthma. |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
Australian swimmer Susie O'Neill. (Swimming Australia, 16 Jun 2010) |
Awards and honours |
She was named the 2009 Australian Swimmer of the Year, Swimmers' Swimmer of the Year, and she also won the Australian People's Choice Award. She is only the second person ever to win all three awards in the same years, the other being Grant Hackett. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, Feb 2010)
In 2005 she was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM], was named Female Butterfly Swimmer of the Year, and was a finalist for Australian Swimmer of the Year. (fujixerox.com.au, 22 Dec 2006) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Stephan Widmer |
Coach from what year? |
2009 |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began swimming at age two. |
International Debut |
Year |
2002 |
Competing for |
Australia |
Tournament |
Oceania Championships |
Location |
Nouméa |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Administrator, Athlete |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Schipps (Swimming Australia, 16 Jun 2010) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Just keep trying. Everyone has a setback. Just keep going. Every goal reached is a great achievement." (Swimming Australia, 16 Jun 2010) |
Sport Specific Information |
Coach from which country? |
Australia |
General Interest |
Other information |
BEIJING SUIT MALFUNCTION Prior to the final of the 100m butterfly at the 2008 Olympic Games, she discovered the zipper on her swimsuit was faulty and she had to strip it off and replace it with an old one. She finished third in the event. (The Australian, 12 Aug 2008)
FORMER COACH Her former coach, Ken Wood, admitted to selling training plans and secrets to rival Chinese swimmers such as Liu Zige prior to the 2008 Olympic Games while training Schipper at the same time. Zige took gold in the 200m butterfly in Beijing, while Schipper won bronze medal. She split from Wood in 2008 and started training under Stephen Widmer. Wood denied allegations of 'betrayal', stating that he severed all ties with China after Australia's Olympic trials in March that year. (ninemsn.com.au, 16 Oct 2008; abc.net.au, 2008)
TATTOO She has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her right hip. (olympics.com.au, 20 Jul 2012) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Husband Brett |