Tammy Cleland
{{Short description|American synchronized swimmer (born 1975)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Tammy Cleland
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Tammy P. Cleland-McGregor
| height = 172 cm
| weight = 59 kg
| sport=Synchronized swimming
| club = Loreleis (Maitland, Fl)
Walnut Creek Aquanuts (CA)
| coach= Mary Rose (Loreleis)
Gail Emery (Aquanuts)
| occupation = Synchro Coach:
Aquanuts 2003-07
Team USA 2006
Beijing Olympics 2008
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|October 26, 1975}}
| birth_place = Sanford, Florida, U.S.
| headercolor = lightsteelblue
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Women's synchronized swimming}}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalGold | 1996 Atlanta | Team }}
{{MedalCompetition|World Aquatics Championships}}
{{MedalGold | 1994 Rome | Team}}
}}
Tammy P. Cleland (born October 26, 1975), later known by her married name Tammy Cleland-McGregor is a former American competitor in synchronized swimming, a 1996 Olympic champion, and a 2000 Sydney Olympic participant. She would later serve as a Synchro coach for her former team, the Aquanuts from 2003-2007, and for the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing n 2008.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cl/tammy-cleland-mcgregor-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418023333/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cl/tammy-cleland-mcgregor-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title= Tammy Cleland-McGregor |accessdate=May 7, 2015}}
Tammy Cleland was born in Sanford, Florida in greater Orlando, to Troy and Thelma Cleland on August 26, 1975. She started in synchronized swimming by the age of five while also participating in competitive swimming. At seven, she trained and competed in Synchro with the Loreleis, founded by synchronized swim Coach Mary Rose, in Maitland, Florida, where Tammy won the solo and duet competition at the Sunshine State Games in Orlando in July, 1983."Sunshine State Games", Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay, Florida, July 24, 1983, pg. 46Competing as a competitive swimmer for the Orlando Area Dolphins, at age eight she won the 50 freestyle in 33.67, the 25 breaststroke in 21.08, and the 25 fly in 17.06 at the Dolphins Invitational meet in April, 1984."Swimming, Orlando Area Dolphins 9 & Under", The Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Florida, April 16, 1984, pg. 26 In July, 1985, at age nine she won the Figures and the Trios events in synchro competition at the Sunshine State Games in Brandon, Florida."Sunshine State Games", Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, July 15, 1985, pg. 24
Move to Walnut Creek, California
At 10, Cleland moved with her family to Walnut Creek, California area, living in Concord, California where she later attended and graduated Northgate High School, and began training with the Walnut Creek Aquanuts under Hall of Fame Coach Gail Emery.{{cite web|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/06/10/northgate-grad-to-coach-olympic-team/|title=East Bay Times, Gilmore Eric, Northgate grad to coach Olympic team|website=eastbaytimes.com|access-date=May 16, 2025}} At 14, she represented the United States at the America Cup in early August, 1990, in Irvine, California.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/50987|title=Olympedia Biography, Tammy Cleland|website=olympedia.org|access-date=May 16, 2025}}"Concord Girls in Big Synchro Swim Meet", Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, July 28, 1990, pg. 37
Olympics
=1996 Atlanta gold medal=
She participated on the American team that received a gold medal in the synchronized team event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. 1996 was the first year the team event was included in the Olypmic synchro competition.[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=SYN "1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta, United States – Synchronized Swimming"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822145800/http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=SYN |date=2008-08-22 }} – databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on April 27, 2008) The 1996 Olympic team championship in Synchronized swimming presented the United States with the gold, Canada with the silver, and Japan with the bronze, which was the same order for the team event at the 1994 World Championships.[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=SYN "1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta, United States – Synchronized Swimming"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822145800/http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=SYN |date=2008-08-22 }} – databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on April 27, 2008) At the Athens Olympics she was coached by her Walnut Creek Coach Gail Emery, as well as Coach Chris Carver from the Santa Clara Aquamaids, an exceptional program. Tammy performed the routine "Patriotic" and "Symphony" with other Walnut Creek Aquanut synchronized swimmers that included Heather Pease Olsen, Margot Thien, and [[Nathalie Schneyder|
Nathalie Schneyder Bartleson]]. Their routine, which was given 10's was considered nearly perfect by several judges, and received a standing ovation from the audience.{{cite web|url=https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/reczzwca/page/about/olympic-history|title=Walnut Creek Aquanuts Club Swimming History|access-date=May 15, 2025}}
After the Atlanta Olympics, Cleland studied fashion merchandising at San Francisco State, and earned a degree before deciding to train again for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. She returned to the Aquanuts to resume her training.
=2000 Sydney=
As Tammy Cleland McGregor, with former Walnut Creek teamate Jill Savery as team Captain, Cleland-McGregor competed again in the Synchronized swimming team event four years later at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, finishing in fifth position. The order of finish that year in the team competition was Russia with the gold, Japan with the silver, Canada with the bronze, and then France. Russia had not formerly placed in the Olympic team event which had begun in 1996.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51148|title=Olympedia Biography, Heather Pease Olson|website=Olympedia Biography, Heather Pease Olson|access-date=May 15, 2025}}
Demonstrating her timing and ability to synchronize in group events, at the 1994 World Championships, McGregor won a gold medal in the team competition.
Coaching
References
{{reflist}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Synchronized Swimming Women Team}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions Artistic swimming teams}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleland, Tammy}}
Category:American synchronized swimmers
Category:Synchronized swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Category:Synchronized swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Category:Synchronized swimming coaches
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in synchronized swimming
Category:Olympic medalists in synchronized swimming
Category:Sportspeople from Sanford, Florida
Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in synchronised swimming
Category:Coaches at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:San Francisco State University alumni
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