USC swimmer Rebecca Soni (B.A. Communication, '09) has earned a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, completing the 200-meter breaststroke in a world-record 2 minutes, 20.22 seconds. The previous record holder, Australia's Leisel Jones, was a distant second, finishing nearly two seconds after Soni touched the wall. Soni also beat her own Olympic record in the event, which she set in the qualifying round Tuesday.

Rebecca Soni swims toward  a gold medal in Beijing (USA Today photo)

Soni's performance in Beijing has solidified her position as one of the best American female swimmers in her events. She earned a silver medal, placing behind Jones, in the 100-meter breaststroke on Aug. 11. She won her third medal of the games — another silver — as part of the 4x100-meter medley relay team on Aug. 18. An Aug. 15 Reuters article explains how she went from heart surgery to Olympic gold and silver in just two years.

Soni joins 39 other Trojan students and alumni as they represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing through August 24.

"The experience has been so great, and it's been really fun to be here as a college athlete," Soni said last week. "I love representing USC here."

Soni shows off her gold medal after winning the 200-meter breaststroke

“For me, Rebecca Soni defines the student athlete,” said communication professor Jonathan Taplin, who taught Soni in “The Communication Revolution, Entertainment and the Arts.” “She came to class prepared, always asked good questions and never tried to get any special preferences. Because I'm a swimmer, I went to see her races. She promised me a USC swim cap, but I'll take an Olympic one if she can get it.”

Annenberg alumni competing at this year’s Olympic Games include fellow swimmer Mark Warkentin (Communication, ’03), beach volleyball player Bibiana Candelas (Communication, ’06), diver Blythe Hartley (Communication, '06), water polo player Sofia Konoukh (Communication, '04) and women’s basketball player Lisa Leslie (Communication, ’97).

Gold-medal race results
Reuters feature story
More on Soni
USA Today
Soni wins silver
Soni wins third medal