Penelope Heyns

Penny Heyns
Penelope Heyns in Times Square, New York (2015)
Personal information
Full namePenelope Heyns
NicknamePenny
Nationality South Africa
Born (1974-11-08) 8 November 1974 (age 50)
Springs, Transvaal (now Gauteng)
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight139 lb (63 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
Strokesbreaststroke
College teamUniversity of Nebraska, USA
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  South Africa
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta 200 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney 100 m breaststroke
World Championships (SC)
Silver medal – second place 1999 Hong Kong 50 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 1999 Hong Kong 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 1999 Hong Kong 200 m breaststroke
Pan Pacific Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Atlanta 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1999 Sydney 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1999 Sydney 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 1995 Atlanta 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 1997 Fukuoka 100 m breaststroke
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Victoria 100 m breaststroke
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 New York 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1998 New York 200 m breaststroke
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1995 Fukuoka 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1995 Fukuoka 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 1997 Catania 100 m breaststroke
All-Africa Games
Gold medal – first place 1995 Harare 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1995 Harare 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1995 Harare 4 x 100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 1999 Johannesburg 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1999 Johannesburg 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 1999 Johannesburg 4 x 100 m medley

Penelope ("Penny") Heyns OIS (born 8 November 1974) is a South African former swimmer, who is best known for being the only woman in the history of the Olympic Games to have won both the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events – at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games – making her South Africa's first post-apartheid Olympic gold medallist following South Africa's re-admission to the Games in 1992. Along with Australian champion Leisel Jones, Heyns is regarded as one of the greatest breaststroke swimmers.[1][2]

  1. ^ "Today in History: Penny Heyns wins gold at 1996 Olympics". Roodepoort Northsider. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. ^ jonas (19 July 2012). "South African swimmer, Penny Heyns, wins a gold Medal at Atlanta Olympics". South African History Online. Retrieved 15 December 2018.