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Amanda WEIR
Sport Swimming
NOC United States   
GenderWomen
Born11 Mar 1986 in Davenport, IA, USA
Height1.88 m
 Human Interest 
General Interest
Famous relatives
 Her father Jim played basketball at Central College in Iowa, United States of America, and her mother Julia competed in athletics at the same college. Her younger brother Caleb has competed in swimming for the University of Texas and was a US Olympic Trials qualifier. Her great uncle Burl Ives was a singer and actor who won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1959 [The Big Country]. (tgwinnettdailypost.com, 12 Jul 2018; eamusa.org, 06 Aug 2016; playerwives.com, 29 Jul 2016; imdb.com, 2016; USA Swimming, 18 Jul 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
 "When I was younger, I wasn't very aggressive and I think part of what drew me to swimming was the fact that it wasn't a contact sport. I just learned at an early age that I was good at it so I stuck with it."
When and where did you begin this sport?
 She began swimming at age eight in Minnesota, United States of America. She started competing at age 11 for Flowers Crossing in Gwinnett County, GA, United States of America.
International Debut
Year
 2003
Competing for
 United States
Tournament
 Pan American Games
Location
 Dominican Republic
Further Personal Information
Occupation
 Athlete
General Interest
Nicknames
 Hollywood [because she loves sunglasses and always wears them], AJ [because her middle name is Jo]. (usaswimming.org, 06 Aug 2016)
Further Personal Information
Languages
 English
General Interest
Injuries
 In August 2017 she had surgery to replace two herniated discs in her neck. The injury continued to affect her into 2020. (gwinnettdailypost.com, 23 Mar 2020; swimswam.com, 07 Aug 2017)
Memorable sporting achievement
 Competing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (gwinnettdailypost.com, 21 Jun 2018)
Other information
 OVERCOMING SURGERY
In August 2017 she had surgery to replace two herniated discs in her neck. She was still recovering from the injury in 2020. "I'm feeling better and better [in 2020]. It's been a tough three years recovering from injury. It's definitely improving month to month. I'm still not where I wanted to be. Finding out what it was a little bit of relief, but it was also scary to know that I had to have surgery on my spine. To not really know how it would affect me in the water was definitely scary. It's been really hard to learn that I'm human and I can break. Just knowing what I love to do [swimming] has played a part in that, and that was mentally hard to deal with. There's nothing I would rather be doing than swimming." (gwinnettdailypost.com, 23 Mar 2020; USA Swimming YouTube channel, 25 Sep 2018; swimswam.com, 07 Aug 2017)

COLLEGE CAREER
She swam for the University of Georgia from 2004 before transferring to the University of Southern California in 2006. (USA Swimming, 27 Jan 2007; Swimming World Magazine, 05 Dec 2006)
Further Personal Information
Higher education
 Visual Arts - University of Southern California: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime
 She trains at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto
 "I just love it. I love the training. I love the routine of it. I don't think I'll ever fully retire from it. Even if I'm not competing for anything major, I'll always be in the water." (apnews.com, 13 Jun 2021)
Further Personal Information
Residence
 Atlanta, GA, USA

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
3 2012 London, ENG 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
2 2004 Athens, GRE 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
2 2004 Athens, GRE 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:36.39
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Semifinal 2011 Shanghai, CHN 50m Freestyle 25.14
2 2011 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
1 2011 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
4 2009 Rome, ITA 100m Freestyle 53.12
7 2009 Rome, ITA 50m Freestyle 24.23
4 2009 Rome, ITA 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:35.23
Semifinal 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 100m Freestyle 55.47
2 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
1 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
2 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:35.68
4 2005 Montreal, CAN 100m Freestyle 54.77 
10 2005 Montreal, CAN 50m Freestyle 25.46 
2 2005 Montreal, CAN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:59.92
3 2005 Montreal, CAN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:38.31
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
10 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Freestyle 53.10 
8 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 50m Freestyle 24.48 
1 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:28.82
Heats 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay  
2 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
2 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay  
2 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 50m Medley Relay  
Heats 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:56.39
Semifinal 2010 Dubai, UAE 50m Freestyle 24.53
2 2010 Dubai, UAE 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
2 2010 Dubai, UAE 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
7 2006 Shanghai, CHN 100m Freestyle 54.43
9 2006 Shanghai, CHN 50m Freestyle 24.94
3 2006 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:49.16
2 2006 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
4 2006 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:37.70
1 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:35.07
2 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Pan American Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:41.93 CR
1 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:05.92 CR