Thompson, Jenny (1973-…), was a champion American swimmer. Thompson competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. In those games, she won 12 medals—8 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.
Thompson was a versatile swimmer. She excelled in individual freestyle and butterfly events, and as a member of relay teams. She set world records in the 100-meter freestyle in 1992 and the 100-meter butterfly in 1999.
Thompson won all of her Olympic gold medals as a member of relay teams in the 400-meter freestyle, 400-meter medley, and 800-meter freestyle. She won her first two gold medals as a member of the winning 400-meter freestyle and 400-meter medley teams in the 1992 Olympics at Barcelona, Spain.
Jennifer Elisabeth Thompson was born on Feb. 26, 1973, in Danvers, Massachusetts. She moved with her family to Dover, New Hampshire, and began her success in international swimming by winning two gold medals and a bronze medal at the age of 14 at the 1987 Pan American Games. Thompson graduated from Stanford University in 1995. She retired from competitive swimming in 2004. Thompson became an anesthesiologist after graduating from medical school at Columbia University in 2006. An anesthesiologist administers drugs to relieve pain and anxiety during surgery and childbirth. In 2012, Thompson was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
