Amanda Ray Beard (born October 29, 1981), also known by her married name Amanda Brown after 2009, is an American swimmer and a seven-time Olympic medalist with two gold, four silver, and one bronze medal. She is a former world record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke long course. An exceptionally accomplished competitor, Beard captured a total of twenty-one medals in major international competition, five gold, thirteen silver, and three bronze spanning the Olympics, the World Championships, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the Summer Universiade. In addition to brief careers in modeling, advertising, and broadcasting, she has worked as a swimming coach and instructor. Salo's approach to training high school age competitors focused more on intensity than very long distance training sessions.
Gaining national recognition at 14 in 1995, Beard won the 100-meter breaststroke national championship.
Having qualified at the trials, Beard made her inaugural Olympic appearance at the age of 14 at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She was often photographed clutching her teddy bear, even on the medal stand. With her three medals, Beard had the distinction of being the second-youngest American Olympic medalist. Beard won a gold in the 4x100 meter medley relay with a combined team time of 4:02.88, a silver in the 100 meter breaststroke with an American record time of 1:08.09, and a silver in the 200 meter breaststroke with a time of 2:25.75. In the 100-meter breaststroke, South African gold medalist Penny Heyns had broken her own former world record in the preliminary heats, but had a bad turn in the finals allowing Beard to gain ground. In the close finish, Beard touched only .36 seconds behind Heyns.
University of Arizona
Beard attended the University of Arizona, where she competed for the Arizona Wildcats swimming and diving team under ASCAA Hall of Fame Coach Frank Busch for two seasons. During her time as a Wildcat, in 2001 Beard captured an NCAA National Championship title in her signature event, the 200 meter breaststroke. She was selected as an All-American ten times, and was instrumental in lifting the 2000 Arizona Women's swim team to their inaugural championship in the Pac-10 Conference. In 2003, she became the world champion and American record-holder in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Beard won silver in the 200-meter individual medley where she swam a time of 2:11.70 and a second silver in the 4×100-meter medley relay where the U.S. team swam a combined time of 3:59.12. In an historic finish, the Australians won the gold medal, making them the first team other than Germany or American to take the gold in the event. Beard, swam well, as her split in the medley relay, was the fastest of the eight competing American women (1:06.32).
At the Olympics in Beijing, Beard failed to reach the semi-finals in the 200-meter breaststroke, placing 18th in the preliminaries.
After the U.S. Nationals, Beard and Natalie Coughlin were nominated co-captains of U.S. national team once again. During the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Amanda Beard signed up for her two signature events, the 100- and the 200-meter breaststroke.
Beard qualified for finals in both events, but failed to medal. She was fifth in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:07.49) and fifth in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:24.30).
2012 London Summer Olympics
Beard failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympic team after finishing 5th in the 200-meter breaststroke at the Olympic swimming trials.
Swimming honors
Beard's success has earned her the American Swimmer of the Year Award twice. In a distinctive and rather exclusive honor, in 2018, Beard became a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and the July 2007 issue of Playboy magazine, in which she posed nude.
She is a spokeswoman for Defenders of Wildlife, and enjoys interior decorating. Amanda placed eighth in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Celebrity car race in 2006.
In April 2008, she joined Fox Network's popular sports talk program, The Best Damn Sports Show Period as a correspondent, covering major sporting events.
In 2008, Beard participated in an anti-fur campaign for the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She was photographed semi-nude (again covering her breasts and not exposing her nipples) in front of an American flag. The flag in that photograph is hung incorrectly according to the United States Flag Code with the blue field (canton) to the upper right. Shortly after the PETA campaign was released, accusations of hypocrisy surfaced. Beard had told a fashion blogger the year before that her favorite shoes were leather sandals, and she had stated during an interview with SmartMoney magazine that she would never buy a low-quality leather jacket.
Personal life
Beard follows a paleo diet. She reports a case of mild dyslexia, which caused trouble with grades in school. She is married to photographer Sacha Brown. On September 15, 2009, she gave birth to their first child, a boy named Blaise Ray Brown. Their daughter, Doone Isla Brown, was born on June 19, 2013.
Body dysmorphia
After achieving an athletic scholarship to the University of Arizona, Beard began to struggle with body dysmorphic disorder.
Autobiography
Beard released an autobiography on April 3, 2012, entitled In the Water They Can't See You Cry: A Memoir. She explains the title's significance as the sensation of putting her face in the water while swimming to hide any tears she shed into her goggles.