Leila Vaziri (Persian: لیلا وزیری, born June 6, 1985) is an American competition swimmer, the 2007 world champion, and a former world record-holder in the 50-meter backstroke.
![]() Vaziri at 2007 world championships | |||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Leila Vaziri | ||||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | "Lei" | ||||||||||||||||
National team | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||
Born | (1985-06-06) June 6, 1985 (age 37) New York, New York | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Backstroke | ||||||||||||||||
Club | Coral Springs Swim Club | ||||||||||||||||
College team | Indiana University | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Vaziri attended Indiana University, where she majored in communication and culture, and competed for the Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team. She was 2005 Big Ten Champion in the 100-yard backstroke and the 2007 NCAA bronze medalist in the 100-yard backstroke. Vaziri earned 15 All-America certificates during her Hoosier career, the most in school history, and was the 2007 Indiana University Female Athlete of the Year.[1]
Leila won the 100-meter backstroke at the US National Championships in 2006, earning a spot at the Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, British Columbia. After turning in the second-fastest time in the nation, she earning a spot on the U.S. World Championship Team.
At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships held in Melbourne, Vaziri won a gold medal in the 50-meter backstroke and earned a silver medal by swimming the backstroke leg in the heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay. Going into the final of the 50 m backstroke, Vaziri was the clear favorite for gold. In the heats of the 50 m backstroke, Vaziri broke Natalie Coughlin's Championship record of 28.30 with a time of 28.25 establishing a new American Record.[2] In the semifinals of the 50 m backstroke, she broke Janine Pietsch's world record of 28.19 with a time of 28.16.[3][4] In the final of the 50 m backstroke, she equalled her own world record en route to winning gold.[5][6]
Vaziri came short of making the 2008 USA Olympic Swimming Team when she finished in 7th place in the final of the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.[7]
She has an Iranian father and a mother of German ancestry.[8]
Records | ||
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Preceded by | Women's 50-meter backstroke world record-holder (long course) March 28, 2007 – October 19, 2007 |
Succeeded by LI Yang |
World long-course champions in women's 50 m backstroke | |
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