Hayley McGregory

Hayley McGregory
Personal information
Nickname(s)	"Hail", "Hailstorm", "Hay-Hay"
National team	United States
Born	January 13, 1986 (age 38); London, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke
College team	University of Southern California

Last updated April 25, 2024

Hayley McGregory (born January 13, 1986) is an English-born American competition swimmer. She is a former world-record holder in the 50 and 100-meter backstroke (long course),^[1]^[2] and is the first woman to break a world record held by Natalie Coughlin in the 100-meter backstroke.

Personal life

McGregory was born to British parents in London, but her family relocated to Houston, Texas when she was a young child. She became an American citizen in 2000.^[3] McGregory competed for the University of Texas before transferring to University of Southern California. However, she became weary of competitive collegiate swimming and dropped out of college to turn professional. McGregory briefly trained at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club with coach Bob Bowman in early 2009. In 2011, she became the head coach at Circle C Swim Team in Austin, Texas.^[4]

Career

2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials

Hayley McGregory swam at both the 2000 and the 2004 Olympic Trials. She failed to make the team. In 2004, she finished third in both backstroke events and, therefore, did not qualify.

2008-2009

McGregory made sort of a comeback in 2008. She proved to be a huge threat to Natalie Coughlin, and broke Coughlin's world record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.15 in the heats at the Olympic Trials. However, Coughlin took the world record back in the next heat, with a time of 59.03. In the semifinals later that day, McGregory swam a faster time than Natalie and was the top qualifier going into the finals. However, Margaret Hoelzer beat her to second place, and she failed to make the team in the 100 meter backstroke, as well as the 200 meter backstroke later in the meet, finishing in third place in both races just like in 2004.

At the 2009 USA National Championships, McGregory made the World Championship team in the 50 meter and 100 meter backstroke. The 2009 World Aquatics Championships was the first international meet of her career. In the 50 meter backstroke, she failed to make it past the semifinals. She finished in eleventh place with a time of 27.83, 0.03 seconds away from her American record. She did, however, make it to the finals of the 100 meter backstroke. However, she ended up getting sixth place in the finals, and the US women failed to advance past the prelims of the women's 4x100 medley relay, therefore ending her chances of winning a medal. McGregory swam at the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool and competed in the women's 100 m Backstroke (25m) and got last in the event with a time of 58.54, and there McGregory's professional career came to an end.

Personal bests

Long Course

Event	Time	Venue	Date	Notes
50 m Back	27.80	Austin	June 7, 2008	NR
100 m Back	59.11	Minneapolis	August 1, 2008
200 m Back	2:07.69	Omaha	July 5, 2008

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References

↑ "Hayley McGregory Breaks 50 Back World Record". Swimming World Magazine. March 7, 2008. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
↑ "Hayley McGregory Busts World Record in 100 Back Prelims...Only to Have Natalie Coughlin Take it Back Next Heat". Swimming World Magazine. June 30, 2008. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
↑ Alan Abrahamson (July 23, 2009). "For McGregory, four thirds equals a first". Universal Sports.
↑ "TRAINING" . Retrieved August 21, 2018.

External links

Hayley McGregory at World Aquatics
Hayley McGregory at USA Swimming (archivedJune 2, 2021)
USC athlete bio: Hayley McGregory
Arluck Promotions athlete bio: Hayley McGregory

Records
Preceded by Li Yang	Women's 50-meter backstroke world record-holder (long course) March 7, 2008 – March 22, 2008	Succeeded by Emily Seebohm
Preceded by Natalie Coughlin	Women's 100-meter backstroke world record-holder (long course) June 30, 2008 – June 30, 2008	Succeeded by Natalie Coughlin

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[1] "Hayley McGregory Breaks 50 Back World Record". Swimming World Magazine. March 7, 2008. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2011.

[2] "Hayley McGregory Busts World Record in 100 Back Prelims...Only to Have Natalie Coughlin Take it Back Next Heat". Swimming World Magazine. June 30, 2008. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2011.

[3] Alan Abrahamson (July 23, 2009). "For McGregory, four thirds equals a first". Universal Sports.

[4] "TRAINING" . Retrieved August 21, 2018.

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