Jessica's Story
Jessica Ashwood made her Olympic debut at the London 2012 Games where she finished 7th in her 800m freestyle heat and 20th overall. Her breakthrough meet was the 2015 World Championships where she placed third in the 400m freestyle setting a new Australian record of 4:03.34. She set another Australian record in the 1500m (15:52.17) and placed fourth in the 800m freestyle, with her third personal best time for the competition.
At her second Olympics in Rio, Ashwood placed finished fifth in a world record-breaking 800m freestyle final that saw the USA’s Katie Ledecky clock an inspiring time of 8:04.79 to take home gold. Ashwood swum in the heats of the 4x200m freestyle final, with Australia going on to claim silver in the final.
She kicked off her Olympic journey when she won two silver medals (400m and 800m freestyle) and two bronze medals (4x100m and 4x200m freestyle) at the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
When Ashwood was in her early teens she discovered she has severe scoliosis, with the muscle development in her back following the S-bend of her spine.
