She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and finished second in the 200 m butterfly in a time of 2:04.72, behind her teammate Liu Zige, who won the race in a time of 2:04.18. Both swimmers swam faster than the former world record held by Australia's Jessicah Schipper (2:05.40).
Before the Olympics, Jiao had competed at the 2007 World Swimming Championships in Melbourne, where she placed 4th in the 200 m butterfly (2:07.22). She had also won gold at the 2006 Asian Championships, setting a new championship record.[1]
In 2009, she won two gold medals at the Asian Swimming Championships in the 50 m and 100 m butterfly, setting championship records in both events.[1] That year, the Chinese 4 x 100 m relay team also set a new world record time on the way to winning gold at the World Championships.[1] Individually, she also won a bronze medal in the 100 m butterfly.[1]
She won three gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games, in the 100 m and 200 m butterfly, and as part of the Chinese 4 x 100 m medley relay team. All three gold medals were won in times that were new Games records.[1] She went on to win gold at the 2011 World Championships, in the 200 m butterfly.[1]
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she went one place better, winning the 200 m butterfly in a time of 2:94.96, setting a new Olympic record.[2] She also competed in the 100 m butterfly, reaching the semifinal, and was part of the Chinese 4 x 100 m medley team.[2] Following the Olympics, she won two silver medals at the World Short Course Swimming Championships, in the 50 m butterfly and the 200 m butterfly.[1]
