New Queensland Sporting Legend Jodie Henry opens up on short right leg, Olympic success

She won three gold medals in record time at Athens, but Queensland Sporting Legend Jodie Henry reveals she was struggling with a hidden limitation the whole time.

Jodie Henry will officially become a Queensland Sporting Legend this month as revelations of a hidden challenge add lustre to her gold-studded swimming career.

Champion freestyler Henry won three gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics – all in world record time - before quietly vacating the spotlight to raise a family with her husband Tim Notting, the former Brisbane Lion.

Henry’s freestyle stroke was so pure bio mechanists still use it as a template for young swimmers but it was at the other end of her body she did not fully appreciate her limitations.

“My right leg is a lot shorter than my left and we never really gave it enough thought when I was swimming,’’ said Henry, a slow starter who often reeled her rivals in from behind.

Olympic hero Jodie Henry will officially become a Queensland Sporting Legend this month. Picture: Supplied.

“I never had really good turns and dives and I think part of the reason came down to my hips and hamstrings and the fact I had one leg shorter than the other and was always off centre and off balance. When we did pilates I always struggled much more than the others.

“It was only after I retired and saw some specialists that they were like “oh, this leg is really short.’’ It explained a lot. There were times we worked on diets and other things to try and improve my hamstrings but nothing worked. I was off balance on the blocks.’’

The mother of three said she was taken aback by her latest honour. She will be inducted at the Queensland Sport Awards at the Brisbane Convention Centre (tickets via [e-mail]) on November 24.

“I couldn’t believe it when I got the call. I swam in an era where there were a lot of great swimmers so I am very honoured to be recognised like this.’’

Jodie Henry won three gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and has revealed having one leg shorter than the other inhibited her training. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

Henry won more world championship gold after Athens but was injured before the Beijing Olympics which meant Athens was her only Olympics about which she has no complaints.

“I was never your hard core athlete who wanted to dominate the world. An Olympic gold medal was the dream and once it happens I felt I had done the ultimate. I kept going because of everything that went with it but I had no great desire to go back to back.’’

Henry’s gold rush was particularly satisfying given she used to suffer from chronic nerves early in her career which may have cost her an appearance at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Before the final of the 100m at the Sydney Olympic trials Henry needed an injection to stop her from becoming physically ill.

“I am not a natural athlete in terms of I don’t enjoy that feeling of being really nervous before a race. That’s not natural for me. I am not an adrenaline junkie by any means.

“I had to get used to being uncomfortable and having that fear and those nerves to the point where it became something you just did.

Jodie Henry (left) won the 100m freestyle, the 4×100-metre medley relay and the 4x100 freestyle relay alongside Libby Lenton, Petria Thomas and Alice Mills.

“We overcame it by my coach just exposing me to being nervous and pushing me and never letting me walk away. You never want to walk away from a challenge. I used to tell myself that no matter what the result my family would still love me.’’

Henry was part of an unusual dynamic where the world’s top three ranked freestylers – herself, Libby Trickett and Alice Mills – were all Brisbane-based and would be involved in fierce competition for individual berths yet be partners in the relays.

“It was quite a challenging thing to navigate. Now that we are finished we all get along really well and are good friends because we had a shared connection of winning our first Olympic gold medal together.

“But at the time it was a really hard thing to be a teammate yet also competing with each other. You knew they could take the Olympic dream away from you but this is where sport teaches you lessons about how to get along with a rivals when they are part of the same team.’’

As well as winning the 100m freestyle in Athens, Henry won medley relay gold and joined Mills, Trickett and Petria Thomas in the victorious 4x100m freestyle relay win.

Henry now works with Swimming Australia helping athletes transition to life beyond the pool.

Originally published as New Queensland Sporting Legend Jodie Henry opens up on short right leg, Olympic success