{{short description|Australian racewalker}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson |birth_date= {{birth date and age|1974|11|05|df=y}} |birth_place= [[Sydney]], [[Australia]] |death_date= |death_place= |medaltemplates={{MedalSport | Women's [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]}} {{MedalCountry | {{AUS}} }} {{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}} {{MedalBronze | [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 20 kilometres walk|20 km walk]]}} {{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}} {{MedalGold | [[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | [[Athletics at the 1998 Commonwealth Games – Women's 10 kilometres walk|10 km walk]]}} {{MedalGold | [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | [[Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Women's 20 kilometres walk|20 km walk]]}} {{MedalGold | [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]] | [[Athletics at the 2006 Commonwealth Games – Women's 20 kilometres walk|20 km walk]]}} }} '''Jane Kara Saville''' (born 5 November 1974) is an Australian [[race walking|race walker]] who won a bronze medal at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]]. She was born in [[Sydney]].
Saville, from an athletically inclined family, competed in swimming, [[surf lifesaving]], and walking as a junior athlete. She has competed at four Olympics, with a midfield result in [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]]. In the 20 km [[racewalking]] event at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in her home city of Sydney, when heading into the stadium's tunnel for the final stretch, Saville was disqualified for an [[Racewalking#Rules|illegal gait]] (''lifting'', a very common occurrence in race walking; the previous leader of the event had already been disqualified). Saville collapsed in tears. Afterwards, when asked what she needed, she replied: "A gun to shoot myself".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/jul/28oly-sav.htm|title=Saville keeps feet on ground after tears|author=Greg Buckle|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=2004-07-28|access-date=2008-08-22}}</ref> Saville recovered her composure soon after and was publicly philosophical about her loss.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
On her bronze medal in Athens, Saville stated: "Nothing will make up for a gold medal in your home town, but you know this is where the Olympics began and any medal here, you know, I'm absolutely ecstatic with it".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200408/s1183227.htm |title=Saville wins walking bronze |author=ABC News |author-link=ABC News (Australia) |date=2004-08-23 |access-date=2008-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523144216/http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200408/s1183227.htm |archive-date=2008-05-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Saville has won three gold medals at the [[Commonwealth Games]]: in the 10-kilometre walk in 1998 and in the 20-kilometre walk in 2002 and 2006. She has won the Australian women's race walking championship five times. She was the Australian [[Standard-bearer|flagbearer]] at the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Melbourne]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nswathletics.org.au/news/jane-saville-inducted-into-the-commonwealth-games-nsw/|title=Jane Saville inducted into the Commonwealth Games NSW Hall of Fame |author=David Tarbotton|date=2022-06-16|access-date=2024-12-28}}</ref>
She is coached by her husband, professional cyclist [[Matt White (cyclist)|Matt White]]. She splits her time between Sydney and [[Oliva]], [[Spain]]. Her sister, [[Natalie Saville]], is also a race walker and finished second to her at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.<ref> {{cite news|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/natalie-saville/|title=Natalie Saville|access-date=2024-12-28}}</ref>
Saville announced her retirement from competitive racewalking in February 2009,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/02/2479978.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205123211/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/02/2479978.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 February 2009|title=Olympian Saville calls it quits|author=ABC News|date=2009-02-12|access-date=2009-02-12}}</ref> with her future plans including continued work in community health and fitness promotion and a role on the [[IAAF]] racewalking technical committee.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://janesavillenews.blogspot.com/2009/02/here-is-press-release-about-my.html|title=Jane Saville retires, walks into community role |access-date=2009-02-02 |publisher=Jane Saville |date=2009-02-02 }}</ref>
Saville has completed a [[Bachelor's degree#BA, AB, BS, BSc, SB, ScB|Bachelor's degree]] in [[social science]]s from the [[University of New South Wales]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
Both Jane and her sister Natalie Saville live in the City of Randwick Local Government Area. Together with Natalie, Jane was presented with the Keys to the City of Randwick on 22 October 2002 by Mayor Dominic Sullivan in recognition of outstanding achievement in sport.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
==Personal life== Saville is married to former professional cyclist [[Matt_White_(cyclist)|Matt White]] and lives in [[Spain]] with their three children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2023/06/unsw-sport-hall-of-fame-member--jane-saville/|title = UNSW Sport Hall of Fame Member: Jane Saville|date = 28 June 2023}}</ref> She is a supporter of her hometown [[rugby league]] club the [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2018/02/14/my-souths-story-jane-saville/|title = Jane Saville - My Souths Story| work=South Sydney Rabbitohs |date = 13 February 2018}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060529235054/http://www.janesaville.com/ Official website] * {{World Athletics}} * [http://corporate.olympics.com.au/media/video/B4580B80-2FB2-11E3-A7D0005056A37760 Video of 2000 Olympic disqualification]
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 20km Walk Women}} {{Footer Australia NC 20km Walk Women}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saville, Jane}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Athletes from Sydney]] [[Category:Sportswomen from New South Wales]] [[Category:Australian women race walkers]] [[Category:Olympic athletes for Australia]] [[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia]] [[Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Australia]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:University of New South Wales alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Australian social scientists]] [[Category:Australian Institute of Sport track and field athletes]] [[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics]] [[Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners]] [[Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen]] [[Category:20th-century Australian sportswomen]] [[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]