Angela Kennedy

Australian swimmer
the politician

Angela Kennedy (born 28 February 1976) is an Australian former butterfly swimmer of the 1990s, who won a silver medal in the 4×100 metre medley relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1994, Kennedy attended the NSW State Open Short Course Championships in Sydney. She set a record in every 50m and 100m event in the program, achieving 11 records in total. Kennedy broke the world record in the 100m butterfly at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in 1995, however was beaten in the event by fellow Australian Susie O'Neill (who took silver), and Liu Limin of China (who won gold). She swam for most of her career at the Telopea Swimming Club in Canberra, Australia under the direction of former Australian butterfly coach Peter Freney. She was teammates to Australian representative and University of Nevada scholarship holder Anthony Rogis, Australian representative Chloe Flutter and Syracuse University scholarship holders Francis Williams and Ben Henri. She moved to Queensland in 1995 and was then coached by Scott Volkers.

She combined with Helen Denman, Sarah Ryan and Nicole Stevenson to qualify Australia for the final, before Susie O'Neill, Samantha Riley, Stevenson and Ryan trailed the United States home. In her only individual event, the 100 metre butterfly, Kennedy was eliminated in the heats.

She attempted to qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but finished eighth in the 100 metre butterfly at the Australian Championships. Petria Thomas and Susie O'Neill were selected. Her attempt in the 200 metre individual medley was even less successful, failing to reach the final. In 2007, Kennedy started working for the Queensland Police Force.

Kennedy was born to Bob and Helen Kennedy on 28 February 1976 in Nambour, Queensland. Later, she lived in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, where she attended school. Kennedy married high school friend Glen Woodward in 2003, in a private ceremony on Magnetic Island, Queensland.