 |
|
| Maggie
MACNEIL |
| Sport |
Swimming |
| NOC |
Canada
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 26 Feb 2000
in Jiujiang, CHN |
|
|
|
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|
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
London, ON, CAN |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, MI, USA |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Volleyball, playing the violin and clarinet, reading, sewing, travelling. (olympic.ca, 08 Aug 2021) |
Awards and honours |
She was named Best Female Athlete of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo by the Association of National Olympic Committees [ANOC]. At the Games, she won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal. (fina.org, 25 Oct 2021)
While representing the University of Michigan [UM], she was named Collegiate Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Division I Swimmer of the Year for 2021. She has also been named Big Ten Conference Swimmer of the Year in both 2020 and 2021, Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year for 2019, and was Big Ten Swimmer of the Championships in 2020 and 2021. She was chosen as UM Female Athlete of the Year and was one of four finalists for the Honda Sports Award for swimming in 2020. (swimming.ca, 21 Mar 2021; mgoblue.com, 06 Mar 2021; mgoblue.com, 01 Sep 2019)
She received the Canadian Female Swimmer of the Year and NCAA Female Swimmer of the Year awards from swimming website SwimSwam in its 2021 Swammy Awards. In 2019 she was named Canadian Female Swimmer of the Year and Breakout Swimmer of the Year in the Swammy Awards. (swimswam.com, 22 Dec 2021, 29 Dec 2019, 01 Sep 2019) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Mike Bottom [club], USA; Ben Titley [national], GBR |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete, Student |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"The comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there." (Facebook profile, 01 Aug 2020) |
Other information |
ASTHMA CHANGES DISTANCE FOCUS
She was diagnosed with sports-induced asthma after competing at the 2017 World Cup in Singapore, and subsequently began focusing on shorter distance events. "It was so humid in Singapore I couldn't breathe. I got home and finally went to a respirologist and found out I have sports-induced asthma, which can be worse with chlorine exposure." Looking for a way to overcome the asthma, she began focusing on shorter distances and worked with a specialist to find the right balance of medication. "I've got what works for me now, and I've focused on sprinting and gotten better. I don't see myself focusing on longer races again because sprinting is working out pretty well." (fina.org, 05 Dec 2019)
UNEXPECTED WORLD TITLE
She beat her idol, Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom, on her way to winning gold in the final of the 100m butterfly at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. "Zero per cent of me thought that [winning gold] was possible. I just thought it would be cool to get a medal. Gold was never in the cards. I don't want to say I counted it out, but I never thought I was going to win." At first she didn't realise she had won the race because she doesn't wear contact lenses when she swims, and couldn't see the results clearly on the scoreboard. "Emma McKeon was the one that told me, because I couldn't see." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 03 Jan 2020; fina.org, 05 Dec 2019)
YOUNG RELAY TEAM
At age 19 years and 145 days she was the oldest member of the Canadian 4x100m freestyle relay team that won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Her teammates in the final were Kayla Sanchez [18 years and 105 days], Penny Oleksiak [19 years and 38 days] and Taylor Ruck [19 years and 54 days]. "We were the only [4x100m freestyle relay] team where every member was under 20. That definitely bodes well for 2020 and 2024 [Olympic Games], and if the youngsters keep improving, 2028 and beyond. It is incredible. Our average age was 18.75." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 03 Jan 2020)
ADOPTION
She was born in Jiujiang, People's Republic of China. At age one, she and her younger sister were adopted from an orphanage by Canadian parents Edward MacNeil and Susan McNair, and began living in London, ON, Canada. (globalnews.ca, 02 Aug 2021; cnn.com, 28 Jul 2021; sg.news.yahoo.com, 27 Jul 2021) |
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs |
Before a race, she splashes herself with water 15 times and kicks the back footplate on the starting block three times. (olympic.ca, 08 Aug 2021) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning a gold medal in the 100m butterfly at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (fina.org, 25 Oct 2021) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
She took up swimming to make friends and because she enjoyed the competition. |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
US swimmer Missy Franklin, Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom. (olympic.ca, 08 Aug 2021; fina.org, 05 Dec 2019) |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began swimming at age two and joined London Aquatic Club in Ontario, Canada, at age eight. |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Mags, Maggers (swimming.ca, 08 Aug 2021) |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
100m Butterfly |
55.59 |
| 2 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:32.78 |
| 3 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:52.60 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 2 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
100m Butterfly |
56.45 |
| 19 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
50m Butterfly |
26.33 |
| 7 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:36.62 |
| 3 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
|
| 4 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:23.82 |
| 6 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:43.72 |
| 2 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:32.15 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:55.01 |
| 2 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
|
| Semifinal |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
50m Butterfly |
26.28 |
| 1 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
100m Butterfly |
55.83 |
| 3 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:31.78 |
| 3 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:53.58 |
| 4 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
|
| 5 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:43.06 |
World Championships Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
100m Butterfly |
54.05 |
| 1 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
50m Butterfly |
24.64 |
| 1 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
50m Backstroke |
25.25 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:46.22 |
| 4 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
4 x 50m Medley Relay |
1:43.56 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:28.06 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
4 x 50m Medley Relay |
1:36.93 |
| 1 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
100m Butterfly |
55.04 |
| Heats |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
100m Backstroke |
57.42 |
| Heats |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
50m Butterfly |
DNS |
| 1 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
50m Backstroke |
25.27 |
| 1 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:28.52 |
| 2 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:47.36 |
| 6 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
1:35.87 |
| 4 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
4 x 50m Medley Relay |
1:44.16 |
| 1 |
2021 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
1:28.55 |
Pan American Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
100m Butterfly |
56.94 |
| 1 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
100m Freestyle |
53.64 |
| 1 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
50m Freestyle |
24.84 |
| 3 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:25.23 |
| 1 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:58.76 |
| 2 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:46.20 |
| 1 |
2023 |
Santiago, CHI |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:37.75 |
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 40 |
2023 |
|
Overall Ranking |
|
| 4 |
2023 |
Athens, GRE |
50m Backstroke |
28.18 |
| 8 |
2023 |
Athens, GRE |
50m Butterfly |
26.48 |
| 5 |
2023 |
Athens, GRE |
50m Freestyle |
25.12 |
| 4 |
2023 |
Athens, GRE |
100m Butterfly |
57.13 |
| 1 |
2022 |
Toronto, ON, CAN |
50m Butterfly |
24.75 |
| 1 |
2022 |
Toronto, ON, CAN |
100m Butterfly |
54.78 |
| 5 |
2022 |
Toronto, ON, CAN |
100m Freestyle |
51.82 |
| 1 |
2022 |
Toronto, ON, CAN |
50m Backstroke |
25.96 |
| 2 |
2022 |
Toronto, ON, CAN |
50m Freestyle |
23.74 |
| 27 |
2021 |
|
Overall Ranking |
|
| 4 |
2021 |
Berlin, GER |
100m Individual Medley |
1:00.12 |
| 2 |
2021 |
Berlin, GER |
100m Backstroke |
56.16 |
| 1 |
2021 |
Berlin, GER |
100m Butterfly |
55.30 |
| 2 |
2021 |
Berlin, GER |
50m Backstroke |
25.84 |
| 3 |
2021 |
Berlin, GER |
50m Butterfly |
25.13 |
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