Jackie Fairweather

{{Short description|Australian triathlete, long-distance runner and coach}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Jackie Fairweather

| image = Jackie_Fairweather.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption =

| fullname = Jacquilyn Louise Fairweather

| nickname =

| nationality = {{AUS}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1967|11|10}}

| birth_place = Perth, Western Australia

| death_date = {{Death date and age |df=yes|2014|11|01|1967|11|10}}

| death_place = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

| spouse = Simon Fairweather (2004–2014; her death)

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country | {{AUS}} }}

{{Medal|Silver| {{ill|1999 ITU Triathlon World Championships|lt=1999 Montreal|fr|Championnats du monde de triathlon 1999}} |1.5+40+10}}

{{Medal|Bronze| 1994 Hobart| Elite

{{Medal|Gold| {{ill|1996 ITU Duathlon World Championships|lt=1996 Ferrara|fr|Championnats du monde de duathlon 1996}} | Elite }}

{{Medal|Gold| {{ill|1999 ITU Duathlon World Championships|lt=1999 Huntersville|fr|Championnats du monde de duathlon 1999}} | Elite }}

}}

Jacquilyn Louise "Jackie" Fairweather (née Gallagher; 10 November 1967{{Snd}} 1 November 2014){{cite news|title=Death notice{{Snd}} Jackie Fairweather|url=http://tributes.canberratimes.com.au/obituaries/canberratimes-au/obituary.aspx?n=jackie-fairweather-gallagher&pid=173112993|access-date=13 November 2014|work=Canberra Times|archive-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113092127/http://tributes.canberratimes.com.au/obituaries/canberratimes-au/obituary.aspx?n=jackie-fairweather-gallagher&pid=173112993|url-status=dead}} was an Australian world champion triathlete, long-distance runner, coach and Australian Institute of Sport high-performance administrator.

Personal life

Jacquilyn Louise Gallagher was born on 10 November 1967 in Perth. Her parents were Delys and Martin, and she had two younger brothers: Matthew and Joshua. In 1979, whilst living in Sydney, she became involved in Little Athletics. She moved to Brisbane in the mid-1980s; and, in 1989, she completed a Bachelor of Human Movement Studies (First Class Honours) at the University of Queensland. In 1991, she completed a Master of Science (Exercise Physiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation) at the Eastern Illinois University. In 2001, she moved to Canberra to take up the position of Head Coach of the newly established Australian Institute of Sport triathlon program.{{cite web|title=World Champion takes up coaching position at AIS|url=http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascmedia/20001221.html|website=Australian Sports Commission News21 December 2000|access-date=4 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110329165102/http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascmedia/20001221.html|archive-date=29 March 2011|df=dmy-all}} In 2004, she married Simon Fairweather, Australian archery gold medallist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/07/22/1090464803348.html|title=Fairweather and friends target golden opportunity|date=22 July 2004}}

Triathlon career

Fairweather began competing in triathlons in 1992 and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season. She spent eight years as a professional triathlete. In 1996 she became the world triathlon champion, setting a championship record time of 1 hour 50 minutes 52 seconds in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. She also won the World Duathlon Championships in 1996 to become the only person ever to win both world titles in the same year.

Fairweather won the Duathlon World Championships again in 1999, but she missed repeating the double when she placed 2nd to Loretta Harrop in the Triathlon World Championship. Gallagher collected further World Championship silver medals in 1995 and 1997.

Distance running career

After finishing 11th in her first-ever marathon, in Boston,[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-52885352.html Gallagher makes spectacular transition to marathon]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} she won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. In 2005, she won the Gold Coast Marathon.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/qld/goldc/200507/s1406365.htm Marathon effort wins race for Tanzanian runner]

IAAF Personal Bests{{cite web|title=Athlete Profile{{Snd}} Jackie Fairweather|url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/australia/jackie-fairweather-189047|website=IAAF|access-date=5 November 2014}}

Event ! Time ! Place ! Date
class="wikitable"
5000 metres	16:19.43	Melbourne	12 February 2004
10,000 metres	33:14.16	Melbourne	17 December 1992
Half marathon	1:18:37	Gold Coast	1 July 2007
Marathon	2:32:40	Nagoya	14 March 2004
{{ill\|50 kilometres run\|ru\|Бег на 50 км}}	3:19:12	Canberra	13 April 2008
{{ill\|100 kilometres run\|ru\|Бег на 100 км}}	7:41:23	Keswick	19 September 2009

Sports administration

In 2001, Fairweather was appointed to the position of Head Coach of the newly established Australian Institute of Sport triathlon program. From 2005 to her death on 2014, she held senior sport administration positions with the Australian Sports Commission /Australian Institute of Sport. These positions primarily assisted the high performance programs of national sports organisations.{{cite web|title=Jackie Fairweather|url=http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_612319_jackie_fairweather|website=Australian Sports Commission News, 4 November 2014|access-date=12 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311034945/http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_612319_jackie_fairweather|archive-date=11 March 2015|url-status=dead}}

Fairweather played a major role in triathlon administration and positions included: Triathlon Australia national elite selector, International Triathlon Union (ITU) Athletes Committee (1998–2002) athlete member, ITU Women's Committee member (1997–98) and Triathlon Australia Board Member (first ever athletes' representative) (1998–2001).

Death

On 4 November 2014, it was announced that Fairweather had died by suicide at the age of 46 on 1 November 2014, nine days before her 47th birthday.{{cite news|url=http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/australian-sporting-community-is-in-mourning-after-death-of-legendary-triathlete-jackie-fairweather/story-fnj94ixl-1227111445335|title=Australian sporting community is in mourning after death of legendary triathlete Jackie Fairweather|last=Steele|first=Selina|last2=Grundy|first2=Neale|date=4 November 2014|access-date=4 November 2014|publisher=Gold Coast Bulletin|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117071028/http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/australian-sporting-community-is-in-mourning-after-death-of-legendary-triathlete-jackie-fairweather/story-fnj94ixl-1227111445335|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-04/australian-athletics-mourns-death-of-jackie-fairweather/5864360|title=Jackie Fairweather: Australian athletics community mourns death of world champion|last=Gavel|first=Time|date=4 November 2014|publisher=ABC.net.au}} Her death led to many former athletes recognizing her achievements.

Her main Australian triathlon rival in the 1990s, Emma Carney, said: "Jackie was a perfectionist[,] and I think perhaps Jackie never really appreciated{{Snd}}or realised{{Snd}}all that she achieved. It wasn't just the races she won, or the sports she excelled in – Jackie was a pioneer in Australian triathlon coaching and administration."

Emma Snowsill, 2008 Beijing Olympics Women's Triathlon gold medalist, commented that "You shared and cared in your knowledge and passion for our sport more than anyone[,] Jackie Fairweather. “Not only a hero for your athletic abilities, but your generosity to help many up-and-coming athletes to pave a way for themselves and the future of the sport is second to none…"{{Cite web |date=2015-12-11 |title=Vale Jackie Fairweather |url=https://www.eurosport.com/cycling/vale-jackie-fairweather_sto5024320/story.shtml |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=Eurosport |language=en}} Snowsill was a member of Fairweather's Australian Institute of Sport triathlon squad.

Her Memorial Service was held at the AIS Arena with more than 600 people attending. The location was apt, as it was where Jackie worked for 13 years and met her husband Simon.{{cite news|last1=Wilson|first1=Chris|title=Husband, friends and sporting foes toast triathlon champion Jackie Fairweather|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/act-sport/husband-friends-and-sporting-foes-toast-triathlon-champion-jackie-fairweather-20141113-11lmtw.html|access-date=13 November 2014|date=13 November 2014}}

Recognition

Australian Triathlete of the Year{{Snd}} 1993 & 1996{{cite web|title=Vale Jackie Fairweather (nee Gallagher)|url=http://www.nswathletics.org.au/News/ArtMID/1740/ArticleID/1143392/Vale-Jackie-Fairweather-nee-Gallagher|website=Athletics NSW News, 3 November 2014|access-date=4 November 2014}}
Australian Sports Woman of the Year (Confederation of Australian Sport){{Snd}} 1996
Australian Sports Medal{{Snd}} 2000
Triathlon Australia Hall of Fame{{Snd}} 2012{{cite web|title=Three Aussie Greats Inducted into Triathlon Australia's Hall of Fame|url=http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Three_Aussie_Greats_Inducted_into_Triathlon_Australia_s_Hall_of_Fame.htm|website=Triathlon Australia|access-date=4 November 2014|archive-date=5 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105042237/http://www.triathlon.org.au/About/Latest_News/Three_Aussie_Greats_Inducted_into_Triathlon_Australia_s_Hall_of_Fame.htm|url-status=dead}}
International Triathlon Union Hall of Fame{{Snd}} 2017{{cite web|title=Jackie Fairweather|url=http://www.triathlon.org/hall_of_fame/profiles/nominees/jackie_fairweather_aus|website=ITU Hall of Fame website|access-date=16 September 2017}}

References

External links

{{sports links}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141105004400/http://www.nswathletics.org.au/News/ArtMID/1740/ArticleID/1143392/Vale-Jackie-Fairweather-nee-Gallagher Vale Jackie Fairweather NSW Athletics]

Category:1967 births

Category:2014 deaths

Category:Australian female triathletes

Category:Australian female long-distance runners

Category:Australian female marathon runners

Category:Australian ultramarathon runners

Category:Australian female cross country runners

Category:Sports world champions

Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners