Mitch Larkin
Mitchell James Larkin (born 9 July 1993) is an Australian competitive swimmer who specialises in backstroke events. He competed for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics[3] and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[4]
Career
Larkin won a gold medal in the 200-metre backstroke and a silver medal in both the 50-metre and 100-metre backstroke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and two gold in the 100-metre and 200-metre backstroke at the 2015 FINA world championships in Kazan, Russia.
His personal best in long course events are 52.11 for the 100 metre backstroke[5] and 1:53.17 for the 200 metre backstroke,[6] both set at the Dubai world cup in November 2015.
In November 2015, Larkin broke the short course world record in the 200-metre backstroke, lowering it to 1:45.63.[7]
At the 2016 Summer Olympics swimming championships, Larkin represented Australia in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 4 x 100m medley relay.[8] In the 100m backstroke, Larkin was the third fastest in the heats with a time of 53.04 and third fastest out of the two second semi-final heats with a time of 52.70.
Despite only being three hundredths slower than his gold medal winning time at the 2015 world championships, he missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the final with a time of 52.43.
Larkin set a record as the first swimmer to win every backstroke event and also the most gold medals for a swimmer at a single Commonwealth Games event. Five gold medals from men's backstroke 50m, 100m and 200m, Men's 200m Individual Medley and Men's 4 x 100m Medley.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ "Mitchell Larkin". swimming.org.au. Swimming Australia. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ↑ Jeffery, Nicole. "Mitch Larkin finally settles on his new coach, Simon Cusack". The Australian. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ↑ London 2012 Archived 28 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ http://rio2016.olympics.com.au/athlete/mitch-larkin1
- ↑ Lord, Craig (November 6, 2015). "Mitch Larkin Refuses 2nd Best On The Clock: 52.11 Back Blast Seals Status At World No1". Swimvortex. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
- ↑ Lord, Craig (November 7, 2015). "Mitch Larkin Rattles 1:53 Barrier & The Cage Of An American Olympic Tradition". Swimvortex. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
- ↑ Lord, Craig (November 27, 2015). "Dolphin Mitch Larkin Leaps To 1:45.6 WR 200 Back Not Far Off Free Pace Of The Albatross". Swimvortex. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ↑ "2016 Australian Olympic Swimming Team selected". Australian Olympic Committee. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ↑ Greenwood, Emma (11 April 2018). "Mitch Larkin has revealed how he was spurred on to five gold medals at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
External links
- Mitch Larkin on Twitter
- Mitch Larkin at Swimming Australia (archived)
Records | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Arkady Vyatchanin |
Men's 200 metre backstroke world record holder (short course) November 27, 2015 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Awards | ||
Preceded by Kosuke Hagino |
Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year 2015 |
Succeeded by Kosuke Hagino |
Preceded by Chad le Clos |
FINA Swimmer of the Year 2015 |
Succeeded by Michael Phelps |