James Wilby (swimmer)

James Wilby
Personal information
National team  Great Britain
 England
Born (1993-11-12) 12 November 1993[1]
Glasgow, Scotland
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
Club Loughborough NC
Coach Dave Hemmings
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
European Championships (LC) 1 2 0
Commonwealth Games 2 2 1
Total 3 4 1
Representing  Great Britain
European Championships (LC)
2018 Glasgow4×100 m medley
2018 Glasgow100m breaststroke
2018 Glasgow200 m breaststroke
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
2014 Glasgow4 × 100 m medley relay
2018 Gold Coast200 m breaststroke
2018 Gold Coast100 m breaststroke
2018 Gold Coast4 × 100 m medley relay
2018 Gold Coast50 m breaststroke

James Wilby (born 12 November 1993) is a British competitive swimmer who specialises in the breaststroke.[2] He has represented Great Britain at the FINA World Aquatics Championships and England at the Commonwealth Games, where he has won two gold medals.

Career

2010

Finishing the 2009 season with a modest personal best time of 2:32.64 in the 200 metres breastroke, Wilby took a chunk off this in May, swimming a 2:26.60 to qualify for the National Youth Championships. A then 16-year-old Wilby came in under the radar, setting a new personal best of 2:24.89 in the heats – qualifying 6th fastest for the semi-finals. A small improvement of 2:24.70 was enough to finish in 9th place in the semi-final, beating a then-unknown Adam Peaty. In the final, Wilby swam the best race of his life so far, again surpassing his PB and winning the National 15/16 years title in an impressive 2:20.13.[3]

Wilby went on to win bronze in the 100 metres breastroke with a time of 1:04.57 – the gold on this occasion going to Rio Olympian Craig Benson.[4]

2014

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Wilby competed in all three breaststroke events; qualifying for the final in the 200 m - where he placed 6th in a time of 2:11.53 and the 100 m where he placed 7th in a time of 1:01.07. He was also part of the English team that won gold in the 4 × 100 metre medley relay event, swimming in the heats but not in the final.[5]

2018

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Wilby won a surprise gold in the 200 metre breaststroke event[6] with a winning time of 2:08.05, which is the fourth fastest time in the world this year (correct as of 3 August 2018).[7][8] He also won a silver behind compatriot Adam Peaty in the 100 metre breaststroke with a personal best time of 59.43 seconds,[9] and a bronze in the 50 metre breaststroke.[10]

At the 2018 European Aquatics Championships, James won heat 4 of the 100 metre breaststroke in a new personal best time of 59.12. Wilby then qualified second fastest for the final in 59.23. In the final, Wilby set a personal best time of 58.64* to win the silver medal,[11] and became the equal fourth fastest 100m breaststroker in history; behind Brendan Rickard (58.58), Cameron Van Der Burgh's Olympic Gold from 2012 (58.44) and the winner of the European 100m title itself, Adam Peaty, who won in a world record time of 57.10*.[12] The following day he added another silver, coming second in the 200 metre breaststroke.[13]

  • race times awaiting FINA ratification following LEN timing configuration issue.

Career best times

Long course (50-metre pool)

All rankings correct as of 5 August 2018
Event Time Venue Date
200 m breaststroke 2:08.05 Gold Coast 5 April 2018
100 m breaststroke 58.54* Tolcross, Glasgow 4 August 2018
50 m breaststroke 27.37 Gold Coast 9 April 2018

Wilby's 100 metres breaststroke personal best of 58.64 puts him second on the British all-time list behind world record holder Adam Peaty.[14] Over 200 metres, Wilby is ranked fourth on the British all-time list behind Andrew Willis and Michael Jamieson, while Ross Murdoch set the British record at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[15]

Wilby made a huge breakthrough at the start of the 2018 season in the 50 metres, smashing through the 28-second barrier for the first time in his career. His Commonwealth Games bronze medal winning time of 27.37 puts him equal fourth with Mark Tully.[16]

  • race times awaiting FINA ratification following LEN timing configuration issue.

References

  1. ↑ "James Wilby". British Swimming.
  2. ↑ "James Wilby athlete profile GC2018". Team England. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Boys 15/16 Yrs 200m Breaststroke - Final Full Results".
  4. ↑ "British Gas ASA Nat Age Grp Champs - SPORTSYSTEMS Meet Results Service".
  5. ↑ "Podium dream for York swim ace James Wilby". The Press. 27 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Richardson, Joe. "Commonwealth Games gold medal glory for York swimmer James Wilby". The Press.
  7. ↑ "Results - Men's 200m Breaststroke Final". Gold Coast 2018.
  8. ↑ "Swimming World Ranking". Fina.
  9. ↑ "Adam Peaty sets Games record to defend Commonwealth title". Swimming.org. 7 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "England's Adam Peaty beaten by Cameron van der Burgh in 50m breaststroke". Sky Sports. 9 March 2018.
  11. ↑ "Results - Men's 100m Breaststroke Final". European Championships 2018.
  12. ↑ "57.10s Record for Peaty at Euros". swimswam.com. 5 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "Wilby wins silver in 'mighty tight' 200m breaststroke final". BBC Sport. 6 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "Individual Rankings (James Wilby - All Time) Male - 100m Breaststroke - Long Course - Open Age Group".
  15. ↑ "Individual Rankings (James Wilby - All Time) Male - 200m Breaststroke - Long Course - Open Age Group".
  16. ↑ "Individual Rankings (James Wilby - All Time) Male - 50m Breaststroke - Long Course - Open Age Group".
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