Biography
Rūta Meilutytė, born on March 19, 1997, is a Lithuanian swimmer known for being an Olympic champion and a world record holder in breaststroke events. She was born in Kaunas, Lithuania's second-largest city, and has become one of the most successful athletes in Lithuania's Olympic history. Meilutytė's swimming journey started in local pools in Lithuania and progressed to training facilities in Britain, where she developed into a top-tier competitor with the help of professional coaching.
Her major breakthrough happened at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. At just 15 years old, she won the gold medal in the women's 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:05.47. This achievement made her Lithuania's youngest Olympic champion and drew global attention to Lithuanian swimming. At Plymouth College in Britain, she continued to excel while training with Plymouth Leander Swimming Club under coach Jon Rudd. By 15, she had already set eleven Lithuanian women's swimming records, showing her exceptional skill in multiple events.
The next year was equally successful for Meilutytė. At the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, she set world records in the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events. By age 17, she had become the first swimmer to win all available junior and senior international swimming championships at least once. She currently holds world records in the short course 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke, as well as the long course 50-meter breaststroke, and she previously held the long course 100-meter breaststroke record.
Meilutytė's career faced significant challenges when she was suspended from July 2019 to July 2021 for anti-doping rule violations that occurred between April 2018 and March 2019. During this time, she couldn't compete in official swimming competitions. She returned to national competition in December 2021, marking her return to the sport. Her education includes studies at Plymouth College in Britain and Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, managing to balance academics with her athletic career.
In recognition of her impact on Lithuanian sport, Meilutytė was awarded the Grand Officer of the Order for Merits to Lithuania in 2012, one of the country's highest honors. Her Olympic gold medal remains a key moment in Lithuanian sports history, inspiring a new generation of swimmers in her home country and establishing her as a national sports icon.
Before Fame
Growing up in Kaunas, Lithuania's cultural and academic center, Meilutytė started swimming at local facilities before coaches and sports officials noticed her talent. Her family decided to support her athletic development by moving her to Britain for better training opportunities that were not available in Lithuania at the time.
Going to Plymouth College and swimming with Plymouth Leander Swimming Club was an important step in her growth, giving her access to world-class coaching with Jon Rudd and training facilities that could help her develop her exceptional skills. Her early competition results, including wins at the 2011 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival where she took gold in the 100m breaststroke, silver in the 50m freestyle, and bronze in the 100m freestyle, showed her potential for competing at the Olympic level.
Key Achievements
- Olympic gold medal in 100m breaststroke at 2012 London Olympics at age 15
- Current world record holder in short course 50m and 100m breaststroke and long course 50m breaststroke
- First swimmer to win all available junior and senior international championships
- Grand Officer of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (2012)
- World records set at 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona
Did You Know?
- 01.She broke eleven Lithuanian women's swimming records by age 15, before her Olympic victory
- 02.At the 2011 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Trabzon, she won medals in three different events across breaststroke and freestyle
- 03.She improved her own European record by just 0.01 of a second in 2013
- 04.She became the first swimmer in history to win all available junior and senior international championships by age 17
- 05.Her Olympic gold medal time of 1:05.47 in the 100m breaststroke was achieved while training at Plymouth College in Britain
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Officer of the Order for Merits to Lithuania | 2012 | — |
| Olympic gold medal | 2012 | — |