Liam Tancock
In July 2007 at the ASA National Championships, Liam Tancock grabbed everyone’s attention when he became the first British swimmer to dip below two minutes for the 200m individual medley. His time of 1min 59.91sec beat the previous best by almost two seconds.
One month later, he trimmed that British best time to 1min 59.19sec when winning gold in the 200m individual medley at the Japan International Open. In April 2008, he became the fastest man in the world ever in the 50m backstroke, a title he recently reclaimed at the World Championships, taking gold in Rome in August, so it is no wonder Tancock is regarded as one of Britain’s finest prospects for medal success at the London Olympics.
Tancock first came to national attention as a 15-year-old Exeter club swimmer. At the British Winter Championships he broke four junior records and came away with the biggest medal haul a junior had ever held at under-16 level. In 2001, he won swimming gold at the Youth Olympic Games, and won a further two golds in 2002 at the World Schools Championships.
At the World Championships in 2005, Tancock produced the swim of his life to set a new British record in the 50m backstroke and win a bronze medal in his first major international event. He’d set a British record in the semi-final and shaved more time off to finish just seven-hundredths shy of gold.
Tancock won three Commonwealth Games medals in 2006 - leading all the way in the 100m backstroke for a new Games record and winning silver in the 50m backstroke and relay.
Another 100m backstroke bronze at the 2007 World Championships was won in a Commonwealth record time and Tancock simply continued his record-breaking form through the year.
2008 was the year Liam confirmed his world class status, breaking the 50m back stroke world record, and winning the World Short Course title.
www.liamtancock.com
For enquiries contact Octagon
Personal details
Date of birth: 7 May 1985
Place of birth: Exeter
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 80kg
Honours and achievements
2009: Wins Gold medal and breaks the World Record for 50m Backstroke at World Championships, Rome (24.04)
2009: Sets new British and Commonwealth 100m Backstroke record at World Championships, Rome (52.73)
2009: Sets 50m Backstroke European and Commonwealth short-course record at the British Gas grand prix (23.10)
2008: Broke World Record for 50m backstroke (24.47)
2008: During the World Swimming Championships, Liam won Gold in the 100m Backstroke (50.14 sec - European Record, Commonwealth Record, British Record); Silver in the 50m Backstroke (23.53 sec); Silver in the 200m Individual Medley (1:53.10 - British Record); and Bronze in the 100m Individual Medley (52.22 sec - British Record)
2008: Qualified for the Bejing Olympics in the 100m backstroke and 200m IM
2007: FINA Most Valuable Performance award Japan International Open
2007: Winner, Men’s 100m IM - World Cup, Sydney
2007: Gold medals in 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke at Japan International Open
2007: World Championship bronze 100m backstroke
2006: Commonwealth Games gold 100m backstroke
2005: World Championship bronze 100m backstroke