Jessica Hardy

Sport: Swimming

Nation: United States of America

DOB: March 12, 1987

Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Career Highlights: After a failed drug test prevented Hardy from competing in the 2008 Games, her dream of becoming an Olympian looked grim. She was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, and after a one-year ban, Hardy picked up where she left off by breaking two world records at the 2009 U.S. Open. The following year, she won two gold medals at the Pan-Pacific Championships, proving she was ready to compete with the best in the world. She then won the 50 meter breaststroke and finished second in the 400m freestyle relay at the 2011 World Championships, and a couple days later took gold in the 100m breast at the nationals. Hardy had an unusual introduction to the sport of swimming, focusing mainly on water polo. At 16, she made the switch to competitive swimming, training alongside other Olympians and quickly becoming a star. She enjoys lying out at the beach and surfing occasionally and has three Abyssinian cats.

Olympic History: None