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Siobhan-Marie O'CONNOR
Sport Swimming
NOC Great Britain   
GenderWomen
Born29 Nov 1995
Height1.73 m
 Human Interest 
General Interest
Awards and honours
She received the 2018 Professional Sports Personality of the Year award at the Bristol Post Sports Awards in England. (somersetlive.co.uk, 22 Aug 2019)

She was named the Professional Sports Personality of the Year for 2016 at the Bath Sports Awards in England. (somersetasa.org, 09 Sep 2017)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She began swimming at her local pool at age seven, and first competed at age 10.
International Debut
Year
2011
Competing for
Great Britain
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto
"You get out what you put in." (swimming.org, 17 Apr 2014)
Other information
RETIREMENT
She announced her retirement from competitive swimming in June 2021. She missed the British Olympic trials for the 2020 Games due to ulcerative colitis. "Stepping away from the sport I love has been the hardest decision I've ever had to make. I'm very disappointed I haven't been able to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, but I'm so proud of all that I've achieved in my career." (bbc.co.uk, 16 Jun 2021)

ULCERATIVE COLITIS
She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She first feared she would be forced to quit swimming after being hospitalised in 2018. "I didn't know it could get that bad. It took me by surprise and was really scary. One of the main things ulcerative colitis has taught me is that strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming something you felt you couldn't. Before [the 2016 Olympic Games in] Rio, I was a bit nervous and I didn't really talk about it. I didn't want it to be seen like an excuse. After Rio, someone asked me about it in a press conference and the response I got from social media was absolutely overwhelming. People saying how happy they were that I talked about it because it gave them confidence." (telegraph.co.uk, 20 Jul 2019; bbc.com, 19 Jul 2019)

MEDIA TRAINING
She received media training from British broadcaster Sky Sports from 2016 to 2019 as a Sky Academy Sports Scholar. "I'd never done as much media as I did before and after Rio. It stressed me out and I was worried how I came across. All the media training and support I got as a scholar helped me so much, and it didn't become a negative distraction. I can understand the reluctance or shyness when it comes to dealing with the media. Sometimes you just don't want to do it, but when you're at a certain level, people want to know your story and take an interest in your journey." (skysports.com, 14 Mar 2019)
Injuries
She was unable to compete in the British Olympic trials in April 2021 due to a flare-up of ulcerative colitis. (bbc.co.uk, 08 Apr 2021)

She spent time in hospital as a result of ulcerative colitis in December 2018 and January 2019. (telegraph.co.uk, 20 Jul 2019; bbc.com, 19 Jul 2019)

She withdrew from the 2014 European Championships in Berlin, Germany, due to illness. (sportsmole.co.uk, 01 Sep 2014)

In 2011 and 2012 she had difficulty maintaining her weight. She was later diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which had caused the weight loss. (bbc.co.uk, 02 Dec 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
"When I was younger I used to compete in gymnastics and really enjoyed that. I chose to pursue swimming when I didn't have time to do both anymore."
General Interest
Hero / Idol
British swimmer Rebecca Adlington. (bbc.co.uk, 02 Dec 2012)
Further Personal Information
Languages
English
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning silver in the 200m individual medley at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and successfully defending her Commonwealth Games title in the same event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. (skysports.com, 01 Nov 2018)
Hobbies
Watching TV, eating out, going to the cinema, reading. (lessonsinbadassery.com, 28 Aug 2019)
Milestones
She became the first female swimmer from any nation to successfully defend a 200m individual medley title at the Commonwealth Games at the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. She had won her first gold medal in the event at the 2014 Games in Glasgow, Scotland. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Dec 2018; swimming.org, 08 Apr 2018)
Further Personal Information
Residence
Bath, ENG
General Interest
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs
She keeps her 2016 Olympic Games silver medal in a sock at home because she does not want it to become scratched. (telegraph.co.uk, 20 Jul 2019)
Most influential person in career
Coach Dave McNulty. (swimmingworldmagazine.co.uk, 14 Aug 2019)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Individual Medley 2:06.88
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
7 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
21 2012 London, ENG 100m Breaststroke 1:08.32
8 2012 London, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:59.46
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
7 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Individual Medley 2:10.43
7 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 2:10.41 
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:07.33
5 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:41.56
3 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 2:08.77
Semifinal 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Freestyle 1:57.30
7 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay  DSQ
1 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:41.71
5 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:50.60
8 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Individual Medley 2:12.03
Heats 2013 Barcelona, ESP 50m Butterfly 26.98
Semifinal 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:13.26
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 2:05.87
2 2014 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 57.83
Heats 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Freestyle 1:54.85
2 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:37.46
European Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2018 Glasgow, SCO 200m Individual Medley 2:10.85
5 2018 Glasgow, SCO 100m Breaststroke 1:07.30
4 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:37.26
3 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:56.91
2 2016 London, ENG 200m Individual Medley 2:09.03
1 2016 London, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:58.57
4 2016 London, ENG 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:53.97
1 2016 London, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:44.56
European Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2019 Glasgow, SCO 200m Individual Medley 2:06.74
4 2019 Glasgow, SCO 100m Individual Medley 58.68
Semifinal 2019 Glasgow, SCO 100m Butterfly 58.46
5 2019 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:36.18
5 2019 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:45.65
2 2015 Netanya, ISR 100m Individual Medley 57.65
2 2015 Netanya, ISR 200m Individual Medley 2:05.13
6 2015 Netanya, ISR 50m Butterfly 25.69
7 2015 Netanya, ISR 100m Butterfly 56.81
3 2013 Herning, DEN 100m Individual Medley 58.26
9 2013 Herning, DEN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:40.26
2 2013 Herning, DEN 200m Individual Medley 2:06.73
Heats 2013 Herning, DEN 100m Butterfly 58.90
10 2013 Herning, DEN 200m Freestyle 1:56.69
4 2013 Herning, DEN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:46.56
3 2012 Chartres, FRA 100m Individual Medley 59.72
4 2012 Chartres, FRA 200m Individual Medley 2:08.85 
13 2011 Szczecin, POL 200m Individual Medley 2:11.64
21 2011 Szczecin, POL 400m Individual Medley 4:46.98
11 2011 Szczecin, POL 100m Individual Medley 1:01.40
37 2011 Szczecin, POL 100m Butterfly 1:01.68
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
32 2018   Overall Ranking  
4 2018 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 59.10
4 2018 Singapore, SGP 100m Breaststroke 1:05.94
3 2018 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 2:07.95
4 2018 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 58.35
6 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 25.98
3 2018 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:05.07
4 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Breaststroke 30.42
6 2018 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:07.65
19 2014   Overall  
4 2014 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:55.30
2 2014 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 2:07.69
3 2014 Singapore, SGP 100m Freestyle 53.29
2 2014 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 58.54
4 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:55.02
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:07.21
6 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Freestyle 53.65
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 58.56
4 2013 Beijing, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:55.26
5 2013 Beijing, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:07.28
4 2013 Beijing, CHN 100m Individual Medley 59.01
5 2013 Beijing, CHN 50m Butterfly 26.37
6 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:57.61
8 2013 Singapore, SGP 100m Butterfly 59.13
8 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 2:10.81
6 2013 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 59.93
6 2013 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:56.57
5 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 59.18
7 2013 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:09.13