SWIMMER

Penelope Heyns

1974 - Today

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Penelope ("Penny") Heyns OIS (born 8 November 1974) is a South African former swimmer, who is best known for being the only woman in the history of the Olympic Games to have won both the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events – at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games – making her South Africa's first post-apartheid Olympic gold medallist following South Africa's re-admission to the Games in 1992. Along with Australian champion Leisel Jones, Heyns is regarded as one of the greatest breaststroke swimmers. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in 25 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 24 in 2024). Penelope Heyns is the 353rd most popular swimmer (down from 347th in 2024), the 341st most popular biography from South Africa (down from 338th in 2019) and the 4th most popular South African Swimmer.

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Among SWIMMERS

Among swimmers, Penelope Heyns ranks 353 out of 709. Before her are Mike Barrowman, Nicholas Santos, Beatrice Câșlaru, Birte Weigang, Anastasia Davydova, and Yelena Rudkovskaya. After her are Frédérick Bousquet, Aaron Peirsol, Carrie Steinseifer, Daniel Kowalski, József Szabó, and Natalia Ishchenko.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1974, Penelope Heyns ranks 950. Before her are Suren Gazaryan, Rich Franklin, Antti Sumiala, Carlos Honorato, Walid Badir, and Ever Carradine. After her are Rhys Darby, Stéphane Augé, Kensuke Kagami, Giorgi Vazagashvili, Etan Cohen, and Didier Angibeaud.

Others Born in 1974

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In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Penelope Heyns ranks 341 out of 454. Before her are Hestrie Cloete (1978), Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (1985), Katia Guerreiro (1976), Pieter Aldrich (1965), Justine Waddell (1976), and Chris Wood (null). After her are Sean Dundee (1972), Delron Buckley (1977), Leon Botha (1985), Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (1963), Siyabonga Nomvethe (1977), and Lance Davids (1985).

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Among SWIMMERS In South Africa

Among swimmers born in South Africa, Penelope Heyns ranks 4. Before her are Joan Harrison (1935), Roland Schoeman (1980), and Tatjana Schoenmaker (1997). After her are Chad le Clos (1992), Cameron van der Burgh (1988), Natalie du Toit (1984), Sarah Poewe (1983), Lyndon Ferns (1983), Tamsin Cook (1998), Michelle Toro (1991), and Keri-anne Payne (1987).

South African born Swimmers

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