SWIMMER
Penelope Heyns
1974 - Today

Penelope Heyns
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 different languages on Wikipedia. Penelope Heyns is the 339th most popular swimmer (up from 345th in 2019), the 332nd most popular biography from South Africa (up from 338th in 2019) and the 4th most popular South African Swimmer.
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Among SWIMMERS
Among swimmers, Penelope Heyns ranks 339 out of 709. Before her are Qian Hong, Andriy Govorov, Mike Barrowman, Beatrice Câșlaru, Anastasia Davydova, and Yelena Rudkovskaya. After her are Frédérick Bousquet, Aaron Peirsol, Carrie Steinseifer, Daniel Kowalski, József Szabó, and Natalia Ishchenko.
Most Popular Swimmers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsQian Hong
1971 - Present
HPI: 42.95
Rank: 333
Andriy Govorov
1992 - Present
HPI: 42.92
Rank: 334
Mike Barrowman
1968 - Present
HPI: 42.76
Rank: 335
Beatrice Câșlaru
1975 - Present
HPI: 42.73
Rank: 336
Anastasia Davydova
1983 - Present
HPI: 42.72
Rank: 337
Yelena Rudkovskaya
1973 - Present
HPI: 42.66
Rank: 338
Penelope Heyns
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.61
Rank: 339
Frédérick Bousquet
1981 - Present
HPI: 42.57
Rank: 340
Aaron Peirsol
1983 - Present
HPI: 42.56
Rank: 341
Carrie Steinseifer
1968 - Present
HPI: 42.56
Rank: 342
Daniel Kowalski
1975 - Present
HPI: 42.54
Rank: 343
József Szabó
1969 - Present
HPI: 42.53
Rank: 344
Natalia Ishchenko
1986 - Present
HPI: 42.46
Rank: 345
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1974, Penelope Heyns ranks 861. Before her are Giulio Falcone, Yoshinori Matsuda, Suren Gazaryan, Rich Franklin, Antti Sumiala, and Ever Carradine. After her are Rhys Darby, Stéphane Augé, Kensuke Kagami, Etan Cohen, Didier Angibeaud, and Séverine Caneele.
Others Born in 1974
Go to all RankingsGiulio Falcone
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.75
Rank: 855
Yoshinori Matsuda
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.73
Rank: 856
Suren Gazaryan
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.69
Rank: 857
Rich Franklin
MARTIAL ARTS
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.69
Rank: 858
Antti Sumiala
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.67
Rank: 859
Ever Carradine
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.61
Rank: 860
Penelope Heyns
SWIMMER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.61
Rank: 861
Rhys Darby
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.60
Rank: 862
Stéphane Augé
CYCLIST
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.59
Rank: 863
Kensuke Kagami
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.58
Rank: 864
Etan Cohen
FILM DIRECTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.57
Rank: 865
Didier Angibeaud
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.55
Rank: 866
Séverine Caneele
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.54
Rank: 867
In South Africa
Among people born in South Africa, Penelope Heyns ranks 332 out of 454. Before her are Wesley Moodie (1979), Shaun Bartlett (1972), Hestrie Cloete (1978), Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (1985), Justine Waddell (1976), and Chris Wood (null). After her are Delron Buckley (1977), Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (1963), Siyabonga Nomvethe (1977), Lance Davids (1985), Siya Kolisi (1991), and Jacob Lekgetho (1974).
Others born in South Africa
Go to all RankingsWesley Moodie
TENNIS PLAYER
1979 - Present
HPI: 43.03
Rank: 326
Shaun Bartlett
SOCCER PLAYER
1972 - Present
HPI: 43.01
Rank: 327
Hestrie Cloete
ATHLETE
1978 - Present
HPI: 42.91
Rank: 328
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
CYCLIST
1985 - Present
HPI: 42.81
Rank: 329
Justine Waddell
ACTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 42.70
Rank: 330
Chris Wood
ATHLETE
HPI: 42.68
Rank: 331
Penelope Heyns
SWIMMER
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.61
Rank: 332
Delron Buckley
SOCCER PLAYER
1977 - Present
HPI: 42.55
Rank: 333
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
POLITICIAN
1963 - Present
HPI: 42.44
Rank: 334
Siyabonga Nomvethe
SOCCER PLAYER
1977 - Present
HPI: 42.44
Rank: 335
Lance Davids
SOCCER PLAYER
1985 - Present
HPI: 42.44
Rank: 336
Siya Kolisi
RUGBY PLAYER
1991 - Present
HPI: 42.35
Rank: 337
Jacob Lekgetho
SOCCER PLAYER
1974 - 2008
HPI: 42.08
Rank: 338
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), Tamsin Cook (1998), Keri-anne Payne (1987), Brad Tandy (1991), Emma Chelius (1996), and Pieter Coetze (2004).
Joan Harrison
1935 - 2025
HPI: 58.43
Rank: 1
Roland Schoeman
1980 - Present
HPI: 50.53
Rank: 2
Tatjana Schoenmaker
1997 - Present
HPI: 47.23
Rank: 3
Penelope Heyns
1974 - Present
HPI: 42.61
Rank: 4
Chad le Clos
1992 - Present
HPI: 40.47
Rank: 5
Cameron van der Burgh
1988 - Present
HPI: 40.13
Rank: 6
Natalie du Toit
1984 - Present
HPI: 39.61
Rank: 7
Tamsin Cook
1998 - Present
HPI: 31.76
Rank: 8
Keri-anne Payne
1987 - Present
HPI: 28.70
Rank: 9
Brad Tandy
1991 - Present
HPI: 22.58
Rank: 10
Emma Chelius
1996 - Present
HPI: 17.57
Rank: 11
Pieter Coetze
2004 - Present
HPI: 17.04
Rank: 12