Jessica Hardy - 2012 Summer Olympic Games

2012 Summer Olympic Games

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Hardy won the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 24.50 seconds, and also won the 100-meter freestyle in 53.96 seconds, thus qualifying to compete in those two events, as well as the 4x100-meter freestyle and the 4x100-meter medley relays, at the 2012 Olympics. She also competed in the 100-meter breaststroke, and placed third in the final behind Olympic newcomer Breeja Larson and veteran Rebecca Soni.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Hardy won her first Olympic medal, a bronze, in the 4x100-meter freestyle with Missy Franklin, Lia Neal and Allison Schmitt, when the U.S. team finished third behind the teams from Australia and the Netherlands. Swimming the second leg, Hardy had a split of 53.53 seconds and the team finished with a total time of 3:34.24, an American record. She also earned a gold medal by swimming for the winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the 4x100-meter medley relay. In her two individual events, she finished seventh in the 50-meter freestyle and eighth in the 100-meter freestyle.