Emily Jane Seebohm, OAM (born 5 June 1992) is an Australian swimmer and television personality. She has appeared at four Olympic Games between 2008 and 2021; and won three Olympic gold medals, five world championship gold medals and seven Commonwealth Games gold medals.

Emily Seebohm
OAM
Seebohm at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full nameEmily Jane Seebohm
National team Australia
Born (1992-06-05) 5 June 1992 (age 32)
Adelaide, South Australia
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight64 kg (141 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBackstroke, freestyle, butterfly, medley
ClubEnergy Standard
Griffith University
CoachMichael Bohl
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Australia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 3 3 1
World Championships (LC) 5 5 4
World Championships (SC) 0 5 5
Pan Pacific Championships 6 6 0
Commonwealth Games 7 4 4
Total 21 23 14
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2012 London 100 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2012 London 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 200 m backstroke
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kazan 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kazan 200 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kazan 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2017 Budapest 200 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2009 Rome 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2013 Barcelona 100 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2013 Barcelona 4×100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2013 Barcelona 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2017 Budapest 4×100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Rome 100 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Kazan 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Budapest 100 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Budapest 4×100 m medley
World Championships (SC)
Silver medal – second place 2014 Doha 50 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2014 Doha 100 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2014 Doha 200 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2014 Doha 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2016 Windsor 100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Doha 100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Windsor 200 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Windsor 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Hangzhou 200 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Hangzhou 4×50 m freestyle
Pan Pacific Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Irvine 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2010 Irvine 200 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2014 Gold Coast 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2014 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 50 m butterfly
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 4×100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2014 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2018 Tokyo 100 m backstroke
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2014 Glasgow 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast 50 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 200 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow 200 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast 100 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 50 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 200 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 50 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke

In 2009, Seebohm was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.[1]

Seebohm appeared as a contestant in the 8th season of the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in January 2022. Later the same year, she competed on The Challenge: Australia, and in 2023 she competed on The Challenge: World Championship.[2]

Early life and education

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Seebohm was born on 5 June 1992 in Adelaide, South Australia. At age two, Seebohm and her family moved to Brisbane, Queensland so her mother Karen could coach swimming.[3] Her father John Seebohm was also an accomplished footballer in the SANFL, who played over 300 games for the Glenelg Tigers. Growing up, Seebohm attended St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School and St John Fisher College, a Catholic school for girls.

Career

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At the age of 14, Seebohm won the 100 m backstroke at the 2007 Australian Championships, the selection meet for the 2007 World Aquatics Championships. At the World Championships in Melbourne, Seebohm won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[4] She also placed fourth in the final of the 100 m backstroke and 14th in the 50 m backstroke.[5][6]

Seebohm also won gold in both the 100 m backstroke and 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 2007 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.

On 6 March 2008 at the Brisbane Catholic Schoolgirls Championships, Seebohm broke the 50 m backstroke Commonwealth and Australian records with a time 28.10 seconds, missing Li Yang's then world record of 28.09 by one hundredth of a second.[7]

On 22 March 2008, Seebohm broke the world record in the 50 m backstroke in the semi-finals of the 2008 Australian Championships, with a time of 27.95s, taking five hundredths of a second off Hayley McGregory's world record of 28.00[7] set only 15 days earlier on 7 March 2008.[8] A day later, this record was beaten again, this time by Australian Sophie Edington in a time of 27.67 seconds in the final of the same event.[9] Seebohm decided not to swim in the final of this event as it is not an Olympic event and instead decided to focus on the semi-final of the 100 m backstroke. Her decision paid off when she became the first Australian woman to break the one-minute barrier in the event, her 59.78 making her the fifth-fastest of all-time.[9] She then lowered the record to 59.58 s in the final, winning the Australian championship and gaining selection for the Olympic Games in Beijing.[10]

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Seebohm placed ninth overall in the 100 m backstroke, barely missing a spot in the final. Seebohm then swam in both the preliminaries and final of the 4 × 100 m medley relay, in which Australia won the gold medal.

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Seebohm won the bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke with a time of 58.88.[11][12] She also won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay,[13] and placed 7th in the 50 m backstroke and 15th in the 200 m IM.[14][15]

At the 2009 Australian Short Course Championships, Seebohm broke the world record in the 100 m IM in 58.54.[16]

At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, on the first night she defeated Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin in the 100 m backstroke, taking gold in championship record time, as well as taking silver in the 50 m butterfly. On the second night, she took silver in the 100 m freestyle in her first attempt at the event at international level. On night 3 she took another silver in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. Final night saw her take the gold in the 200 m individual medley, topping world champion and record holder Ariana Kukors. Later on in the night she broke the 100 m backstroke championship record in the lead off leg of the 4 × 100 m medley relay, Australia finished with silver. Later on in the year she collected 8 medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Seebohm was tracked by the BBC as part of their series World Olympic Dreams, which followed her as she prepared for London 2012.

 
Seebohm wins 200m final in Kazan

At the 2012 London Olympics, Seebohm set a new Olympic record in a 100m backstroke qualifier and was heavily backed to win the gold in the final of the event but fell just short and gained a silver medal.

At the 2013 Australian Swimming Championships she won gold in the 50 m and 100 m backstroke and silver in 200 m individual medley and bronze in the 200 m backstroke events, qualifying for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships. At the World Championships, she teamed up with Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Brittany Elmslie in the heats of the 4 × 100 m freestyle, finishing second in their heat and overall.[17] In the final sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Alicia Coutts won the silver medal, finishing 0.12 seconds behind the United States.[18]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Seebohm represented Australia in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke and won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[19][20]

In June 2021, Seebohm qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics after finishing second in the 100m backstroke event at the Australian Olympic trials in a time of 58.59.[21] The Tokyo Olympics were Seebohm's fourth consecutive Olympic Games, making her only one of three Australian swimmers to compete at four Olympic Games.[citation needed] At those Olympics she won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 metre medley relay, and a bronze medal in 200 metre backstroke.[22]

International Swimming League

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In the Autumn of 2019 she was member of the inaugural International Swimming League swimming for the Energy Standard International Swim Club, who won the team title in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December.[23]

Results in major championships

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Meet 100 free 50 back 100 back 200 back 50 fly 200 medley 4×100 free 4×100 medley
WC 2007 14th 4th  
OG 2008 9th  
WC 2009 7th   15th  
PP 2010   9th   WD[a]        
CG 2010                
WC 2011 5th 4th
OG 2012      
WC 2013 12th   WD[b]    
CG 2014 4th     7th  
PP 2014     7th  
WC 2015 4th     4th    
OG 2016 7th 12th  
WC 2017 4th     4th    
CG 2018        
PP 2018   6th    
OG 2021 5th    
a Seebohm withdrew after the heat
b Seebohm withdrew after the semi-final

Career best times

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Long course metres (50 m pool)

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As of 29 July 2017 [24]
Event Time Meet Location Date Notes
50 m freestyle 25.05 2015 BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series Perth, Australia 30 January, 2015
100 m freestyle 53.92 2015 World Aquatics Championships Kazan, Russia 2 August, 2015
200 m freestyle 1:59.95 2010 Australian Age Championships Sydney, Australia 5 April, 2010
50 m backstroke 27.37 2017 World Aquatics Championships Budapest, Hungary 27 July, 2017
100 m backstroke 58.23 2012 Summer Olympics London, England 28 July, 2012
200 m backstroke 2:05.68 2017 World Aquatics Championships Budapest, Hungary 29 July, 2017
50 m butterfly 26.05 2015 NSW State Open Championships Sydney, Australia 27 February, 2015
100 m butterfly 58.52 2010 Australian Age Group Championships Sydney, Australia 5 April, 2010
200 m individual medley 2:09.93 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Irvine, California 21 August, 2010

Short course metres (25 m pool)

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As of 6 October 2018 [24]
Event Time Meet Location Date Notes
50 m freestyle 24.27 2016 Australian Championships (25m) Brisbane, Australia 4 November, 2016
100 m freestyle 52.67 2015 Australian Championships (25m) Sydney, Australia 26 November, 2015
50 m backstroke 25.83 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Doha, Qatar 7 December, 2014
100 m backstroke 55.31 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Doha, Qatar 4 December, 2014
200 m backstroke 1:59.49 2015 Australian Championships (25m) Sydney, Australia 26 November, 2015
50 m breaststroke 29.96 2018 FINA Swimming World Cup Budapest, Hungary 6 October, 2018
50 m butterfly 25.65 2017 FINA Swimming World Cup Berlin, Germany 6 August, 2017
100 m butterfly 1:02.95 2017 FINA Swimming World Cup Doha, Qatar 5 October, 2017
100 m individual medley 57.97 2016 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Windsor, Canada 9 December, 2016
200 m individual medley 2:05.46 2017 FINA Swimming World Cup Singapore 18 November, 2017

World records

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Long course metres

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No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Ref
1 4x100 m medley relay[a] 3:55.74 2007 World Aquatics Championships Melbourne, Australia 31 March 2007 Former [25]
2 50 m backstroke 27.95 sf Australian Swimming Championships Sydney, Australia 22 March 2008 Former [26]
3 4x100 m medley relay (2)[b] 3:52.69 2008 Summer Olympics Beijing, China 17 August 2008 Former [27]

a split 1:00.79 (1st leg); with Leisel Jones (2nd leg), Jessica Schipper (3rd leg), Libby Lenton (4th leg)
b split 59.33 (1st leg); with Leisel Jones (2nd leg), Jessica Schipper (3rd leg), Libby Trickett (4th leg)

Short course metres

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No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Ref
1 100 m individual medley 58.54 Australian Short Course Championships Hobart, Australia 10 August 2009 Former [28]
Legend: OCOceanian record; NRAustralian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Olympic records

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Long course metres

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No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Notes Ref
1 4x100 m medley relay[a] 3:52.69 2008 Summer Olympics Beijing, China 17 August 2008 Former Former WR, OC, NR [29]
2 100 m backstroke 58.23 h 2012 Summer Olympics London, United Kingdom 29 July 2012 Former Former OC, NR [30]
Legend: WRWorld record; OCOceanian record; NRAustralian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

a split 59.33 (backstroke leg); with Leisel Jones (breaststroke leg ), Jessicah Schipper (butterfly leg), Libby Trickett (freestyle leg)

Personal life

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In 2015, Seebohm began a relationship with fellow swimmer, Mitch Larkin. Seebohm announced their separation in July 2018.[31] In 2019, Seebohm moved on with breakfast radio host David Lutteral, however after more than a year of dating, the pair split in March 2021.[32][33] Seebohm confirmed in December 2022 that she was dating Ryan Gallagher, who she met while filming The Challenge Australia.[34] In March 2023, the couple announced their engagement, and in September of the same year, their first child, a son, was born.[35][36]

Seebohm, who has endometriosis, is an ambassador for the non-profit organisation Endometriosis Australia.[37]

The Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre, situated in the Brisbane suburb of Bracken Ridge, was named after the swimmer and officially opened in February 2016.[38]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2022 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant 4th place
2022 The Challenge: Australia Contestant 6th place
2023 The Challenge: World Championship Contestant with Yes Duffy 5th place

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "SEEBOHM, Emily Jane". It's An Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  2. ^ "Meet The Cast Of The Challenge Australia 2022". 10 Play. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Emily Seebohm's athlete profile". Yahoo!7. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
  4. ^ "2007 World Championships results: Women's 4x100 m medley relay final" (PDF). 31 March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2007.
  5. ^ "2007 World Championships results: Women's 100 m backstroke final" (PDF). 27 March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2007.
  6. ^ "2007 World Championships results: Women's 50 m backstroke semifinals" (PDF). 28 March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2007.
  7. ^ a b "Rice and Seebohm smash world records". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 March 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  8. ^ "McGregory breaks 50m backstroke world record". ABC News. 9 March 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  9. ^ a b Cowley, Michael (24 March 2008). "Teenager's hold on world time short-lived". The Age. Retrieved 24 March 2008. [dead link]
  10. ^ Alex Murdoch (25 March 2008). "Seebohm sends a warning to world champ Coughlin". The Daily Telegraph.
  11. ^ "2009 World Championships results: Women's 100 m backstroke final" (PDF). 28 July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2009.
  12. ^ Todd Balym (29 July 2009). "Seebohm slays Beijing demons with bronze". WA Today. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  13. ^ "2009 World Championships results: Women's 4x100 m medley relay final" (PDF). 1 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2009.
  14. ^ "2009 World Championships results: Women's 50 m backstroke final" (PDF). 30 July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2012.
  15. ^ "2009 World Championships results: Women's 200 m IM semifinals" (PDF). 26 July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2009.
  16. ^ "Australian's Libby Trickett, Christian Sprenger and Emily Seebohm set world short-course marks". 10 August 2009.
  17. ^ "Heat results of Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships" (pdf). Omega Timing. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  18. ^ "Final results of Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships" (pdf). Omega Timing. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Emily Seebohm". Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  20. ^ "Emily Seebohm". Rio 2016 Olympics. Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Heartbreak behind teen's world record". NewsComAu. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Club Rosters – International Swimming League". Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Emily SEEBOHM". World Aquatics. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  25. ^ "World championships gold in 400-medley-relay". Swimming World Magazine. 31 March 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  26. ^ "Rice and Seebohm smash world records". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 March 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  27. ^ Linden, Julian (17 August 2008). "Australia wins women's medley relay". Reuters. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  28. ^ "Three world records tumble at Australian championships". Reuters. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  29. ^ Linden, Julian (17 August 2008). "Australia wins women's medley relay". Reuters. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Seebohm breaks Olympic record". ABC News Australia. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  31. ^ Price, Amy (13 July 2018). "Emily Seebohm, Mitch Larkin separate after two years". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  32. ^ Price, Amy (20 August 2019). "Radio personality David Lutteral confirms relationship with Emily Seebohm". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  33. ^ Bednall, Jai (5 March 2021). "Emily Seebohm suffers second shock heartbreak after split with radio host". news.com.au. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  34. ^ Price, Amy (5 December 2022). "Brisbane Olympian Emily Seebohm confirms she's dating comedian Ryan Gallagher". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  35. ^ Sellers, Wade (6 March 2023). "Ryan Gallagher and Emily Seebohm are engaged! They confirmed their relationship three months ago". Woman's Day. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  36. ^ "Emily Seebohm gives birth to her first child with Ryan Gallagher". Who. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  37. ^ "Emily Seebohm: I won Olympic golds with endometriosis. Anything is possible". Guardian Australia. 19 March 2017.
  38. ^ "The Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre - Fitzgibbon". Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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Records
Preceded by Women's 50 metre backstroke
world record holder (long course)

22 March 2008 – 23 March 2008
Succeeded by
Preceded by Women's 100 metres individual medley
world record holder
(short course)

10 August 2009 – 17 October 2009
Succeeded by
Awards
Preceded by Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year
2015
Succeeded by