Haley Cope (born April 11, 1979 in Crescent City, California) is a former American swimmer. She won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, eight world championship medals, and held a world record in the 50 meter backstroke.
Cope swam at the University of California, Berkeley from 1998 to 2001. In 2000, she was named the Pac-10 Conference swimmer of the year, and helped lead California to a fourth-place finish nationally. Cope was the second of three consecutive conference swimmers of the year from Berkeley; Marylyn Chiang in 1999, herself in 2000, and Natalie Coughlin in 2001, 2002, and 2003. At the 2000 NCAA national championships in Indianapolis, she swam the 50 metre backstroke in 27.25 seconds, equaling Sandra Völker's short course world record.
She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications. In 2001, she won a gold medal in the 50 meter backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship, and two medals at the final Goodwill Games. Her 50 meter backstroke performance at the Goodwill Games was a record time for the competition.
After graduating from Berkeley, Cope continued her swimming career, winning her second world championship at the 2002 Short Course World Swimming Championships held in Moscow. She won gold medal in the 100 meter backstroke, and two silver medals in the 50 meter backstroke, and the 4x100 meter medley relay, in which she swam the backstroke leg. In 2003, she swam at her second long course world championships in Barcelona, where she won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter relay.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, held in Athens, Greece, Cope swam the backstroke in the preliminary heat of the Women's 4 x 100 meter medley relay. In the finals, the American team took second place, and Cope was awarded a silver medal. Cope's last major international competition was in October 2004, at the 2004 Short Course World Swimming Championships in Indianapolis. In Indianapolis, she repeated as world champion in the 100 meter backstroke, as well as winning the 50 meter backstroke. As part of the American team, she won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 relay.
Cope married her former coach, Brian Clark in 2002, and has two children. She is currently operating a swimming school in Chico. In 2004, Cope posed nude for the September issue of Playboy Magazine.
She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications. In 2001, she won a gold medal in the 50 meter backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship, and two medals at the final Goodwill Games. Her 50 meter backstroke performance at the Goodwill Games was a record time for the competition.
After graduating from Berkeley, Cope continued her swimming career, winning her second world championship at the 2002 Short Course World Swimming Championships held in Moscow. She won gold medal in the 100 meter backstroke, and two silver medals in the 50 meter backstroke, and the 4x100 meter medley relay, in which she swam the backstroke leg. In 2003, she swam at her second long course world championships in Barcelona, where she won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter relay.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, held in Athens, Greece, Cope swam the backstroke in the preliminary heat of the Women's 4 x 100 meter medley relay. In the finals, the American team took second place, and Cope was awarded a silver medal. Cope's last major international competition was in October 2004, at the 2004 Short Course World Swimming Championships in Indianapolis. In Indianapolis, she repeated as world champion in the 100 meter backstroke, as well as winning the 50 meter backstroke. As part of the American team, she won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 relay.
Cope married her former coach, Brian Clark in 2002, and has two children. She is currently operating a swimming school in Chico. In 2004, Cope posed nude for the September issue of Playboy Magazine.
