Rebecca Soni
Rebecca Soni is a former competitive swimmer from the United States and a six-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, known for her expertise in breaststroke technique.
Swimmer
March 18, 1987
37
Rebecca Soni, an American former competitive swimmer, was renowned for her mastery of the breaststroke. Throughout her career, she secured six Olympic medals, comprising three gold, one silver, and two bronze, and set three world records. She was also named Swimming World’s Female Swimmer of the Year from 2010 to 2012. In addition to her Olympic achievements, Soni earned multiple medals at the World Aquatics Championships and Pan Pacific Championships and is a strong advocate for clean sports and athlete protection.
Soni’s impressive career includes six NCAA Championship titles at USC, where she won the 200-yard breaststroke from 2006 to 2009 and the 100-yard breaststroke in 2008 and 2009. She first made her mark in the swimming world at a young age, ranking 15th overall in the 100-meter breaststroke and 11th overall in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Despite battling severe asthma during her childhood, Soni overcame her breathing condition with medication and breathing exercises, allowing her to become one of history’s most dominant breaststroke swimmers. She has since become an advocate for asthma awareness and has collaborated with the non-profit organization “Team Inspire” to promote asthma education and support.
As of 2023, Rebecca Soni is ranked as the 191st most popular swimmer, a decrease from 165th in 2019. She is also the 15,201st most popular biography from the United States, down from 13,752nd in 2019. Soni is recognized as the 68th most popular American swimmer. Now retired from swimming, she resides in Bend, Oregon, and co-founded RISE Athletes, a youth mentorship program. Soni continues to prioritize yoga in her daily routine. An interesting fact about Rebecca Soni is that she is a six-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, specializing in the breaststroke technique.