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[[Image:Jennifer Chandler.jpg|right|thumb|Jennifer Chandler]]
[[Image:Jennifer Chandler.jpg|right|thumb|Jennifer Chandler]]
'''Jennifer Kay Bellamy Chandler Stevenson ''' (born [[June 13]], [[1959]] in Langdale, Chambers County) is a former competitive diver.
'''Jennifer Kay Bellamy Chandler Stevenson ''' (born [[June 13]], [[1959]] in Langdale, Chambers County) is a former competitive diver who won a gold medal on springboard at the [[1976]] Olympic Games in Montreal, Quebec.


Chandler began diving at age 9 while attending [[Crestline Elementary School]] and competed in the Junior Olympics at age 12. She trained at the Ron O'Brien diving school at Point Mallard Park in Decatur and in Columbus, Georgia. She won the AAU national 1-meter springboard event in [[1975]] and a gold medal at the Pan American Games that summer in Mexico City. The next year she won the national indoor 3-meter springboard championship and went on the represent the United States at the [[1976]] Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, where she won the gold medal. She also won bronze at the [[1978]] World Aquatics Championships in Berlin before retiring at age 21 due to back injuries.
Jennifer was the oldest of three daughters born to [[Terry Chandler]], a former [[Auburn Tigers basketball team|Auburn basketball player]], and his wife [[Kay Chandler|Kay]], an amateur diver. She began taking swimming lessons at the University of Georgia before the family moved to [[Mountain Brook]] in [[1964]].


Since retiring, Chandler attended Ohio State University and earned a bachelor of fine arts at the University of Arizona while occasionally providing commentary for diving broadcasts. She was inducted into the [[Alabama Sports Hall of Fame]] in [[1985]] and later worked for the Hall as educational outreach director. She also worked for [[HealthSouth]] and [[Lakeshore Foundation]], and is currently development director for the [[Vulcan Park Foundation]].
She continued to practice swimming and diving with coach [[Carlos de Cubas]] at the [[Mountain Brook Swim & Tennis Club]] while she was attending [[Crestline Elementary School]]. De Cubas encouraged her to focus on diving. She qualified for the Junior Olympics in Spokane, Washington at age 12 and was named "Most Outstanding Athlete" for the games. At 14 she finished 8th in the 1973 World Aquatics championship in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and 1st in the Amateur Athletic Union national indoor championships in Dallas, Texas. Terry Chandler was director of the 1974 outdoor AAU championships, held at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, where Jennifer finished sixth.
 
Chandler followed De Cubas to Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended Westminster School. In [[1975]] she won the 1-meter springboard event at the AAU championships in Cleveland, Ohio. By then her family had moved to the 200-acre [[Four Seasons Farm]] in [[Lincoln]]. Though they retained De Cubas and built a backyard diving well for his students, Jennifer was soon flying to Dallas on weekends to train on more difficult dives with Ron O'Brien. After winning a gold medal in springboard at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City, she and several other Olympic hopefuls joined O'Brien in Columbus, Ohio and then in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
 
After winning the 3-meter springboard event at the 1976 AAU championships she was selected to represent the United States at the [[1976]] Summer Olympics in Montreal. She led the event from the first dive and took the gold medal with a 50-point lead over East Germany's Krista Kohler, the favorite.
 
After the games, Chandler completed high school and accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University, where O'Brien was coaching. She was injured on a dive from the 10-meter platform and hospitalized for three weeks. She followed O'Brien to California, transferring to the University of California at Irvine. She won a bronze medal at the [[1978]] World Aquatics Championships in Berlin. She suffered a second back injury, but recovered in time to qualify for the [[1980]] Olympic Gams in Moscow. When the U.S. decided to boycott the event over Russia's actions in Afghanistan, Chandler decided to retired from the sport.
 
Chandler completed a bachelor of fine arts at the University of Arizona in [[1987]], while occasionally providing commentary for diving broadcasts. She was inducted into the [[Alabama Sports Hall of Fame]] in [[1985]] and later worked for the Hall as educational outreach director. She also worked for [[HealthSouth]] and [[Lakeshore Foundation]], and is currently development director for the [[Vulcan Park Foundation]].


She married ''Randolph Leader'' publisher John Stevenson in [[2007]].
She married ''Randolph Leader'' publisher John Stevenson in [[2007]].


==References==
==References==
* Kirshenbaum, Jerry (August 19, 1974) "Bursts of Beauty and Bubble Gum: Not Yet Out of Her Braces, 15-year-old Jenni Chandler Is Springing Into Prominence as a World-class Diver." ''Sports Illustrated''
* Bailey, Tom (2005) ''[[Jennifer Chandler: Olympic Champion Diver]].'' [[Seacoast Publishing]]. ISBN 9781594210143
* Bailey, Tom (March 11, 2019) "[http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2056 Jennifer Chandler]" ''Encyclopedia of Alabama'' - accessed August 8, 2021
* Harvey, Alec (February 2012) "[http://www.al.com/bhammag/index.ssf/soul/good_as_gold_a_former_olympic.html Good as Gold: A former Olympic diver now focuses her attention on the Lakeshore Foundation and life in rural Alabama]" ''Birmingham'' magazine
* Harvey, Alec (February 2012) "[http://www.al.com/bhammag/index.ssf/soul/good_as_gold_a_former_olympic.html Good as Gold: A former Olympic diver now focuses her attention on the Lakeshore Foundation and life in rural Alabama]" ''Birmingham'' magazine
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jennifer_Chandler Jennifer Chandler]" (March 19, 2013) Wikipedia - accessed December 16, 2013
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jennifer_Chandler Jennifer Chandler]" (March 19, 2013) Wikipedia - accessed December 16, 2013

Latest revision as of 10:14, 8 August 2021

Jennifer Chandler

Jennifer Kay Bellamy Chandler Stevenson (born June 13, 1959 in Langdale, Chambers County) is a former competitive diver who won a gold medal on springboard at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Quebec.

Jennifer was the oldest of three daughters born to Terry Chandler, a former Auburn basketball player, and his wife Kay, an amateur diver. She began taking swimming lessons at the University of Georgia before the family moved to Mountain Brook in 1964.

She continued to practice swimming and diving with coach Carlos de Cubas at the Mountain Brook Swim & Tennis Club while she was attending Crestline Elementary School. De Cubas encouraged her to focus on diving. She qualified for the Junior Olympics in Spokane, Washington at age 12 and was named "Most Outstanding Athlete" for the games. At 14 she finished 8th in the 1973 World Aquatics championship in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and 1st in the Amateur Athletic Union national indoor championships in Dallas, Texas. Terry Chandler was director of the 1974 outdoor AAU championships, held at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, where Jennifer finished sixth.

Chandler followed De Cubas to Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended Westminster School. In 1975 she won the 1-meter springboard event at the AAU championships in Cleveland, Ohio. By then her family had moved to the 200-acre Four Seasons Farm in Lincoln. Though they retained De Cubas and built a backyard diving well for his students, Jennifer was soon flying to Dallas on weekends to train on more difficult dives with Ron O'Brien. After winning a gold medal in springboard at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City, she and several other Olympic hopefuls joined O'Brien in Columbus, Ohio and then in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

After winning the 3-meter springboard event at the 1976 AAU championships she was selected to represent the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. She led the event from the first dive and took the gold medal with a 50-point lead over East Germany's Krista Kohler, the favorite.

After the games, Chandler completed high school and accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University, where O'Brien was coaching. She was injured on a dive from the 10-meter platform and hospitalized for three weeks. She followed O'Brien to California, transferring to the University of California at Irvine. She won a bronze medal at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships in Berlin. She suffered a second back injury, but recovered in time to qualify for the 1980 Olympic Gams in Moscow. When the U.S. decided to boycott the event over Russia's actions in Afghanistan, Chandler decided to retired from the sport.

Chandler completed a bachelor of fine arts at the University of Arizona in 1987, while occasionally providing commentary for diving broadcasts. She was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and later worked for the Hall as educational outreach director. She also worked for HealthSouth and Lakeshore Foundation, and is currently development director for the Vulcan Park Foundation.

She married Randolph Leader publisher John Stevenson in 2007.

References

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