Mitch Larkin

Mitchell James Larkin (born 9 July 1993) is an Australian competitive swimmer who specialises in backstroke events. He currently represents the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League. Larkin competed for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics[4] and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[5]

Mitch Larkin

Larkin in 2016, at the Santa Clara Arena Grand Prix
Personal information
Full name	Mitchell James Larkin
Nickname(s)	"Mitch" "Larkinator"
National team	Australia
Born	9 July 1993 Buderim, Queensland
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, medley
Club	Cali Condors[2] St Peters Western
Coach	Dean Boxall[3]
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Australia Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m backstroke 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m medley World Championships (LC) 2015 Kazan 100 m backstroke 2015 Kazan 200 m backstroke 2019 Gwangju 4×100 m mixed medley 2015 Kazan 4×100 m medley 2017 Budapest 4×100 m mixed medley 2019 Gwangju 100 m backstroke World Championships (SC) 2014 Doha 100 m backstroke 2016 Windsor 100 m backstroke 2016 Windsor 4×100 m medley 2014 Doha 200 m backstroke 2018 Hangzhou 200 m backstroke Pan Pacific Championships 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m mixed medley 2018 Tokyo 200 m medley 2014 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke 2014 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley 2018 Tokyo 100 m backstroke 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m medley Commonwealth Games 2014 Glasgow 200 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 50 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 100 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 200 m medley 2018 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley 2014 Glasgow 100 m backstroke 2014 Glasgow 50 m backstroke 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m medley

Career

2014

Larkin won a gold medal in the 200 meter backstroke and a silver medal in both the 50 meter and 100 meter backstroke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

2015

He won two gold in the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia.

His personal best in long course events are 52.11 for the 100 meter backstroke[6] and 1:53.17 for the 200 meter backstroke,[7] both set at the Dubai world cup in November 2015.

In November 2015, Larkin broke the short course world record in the 200 meter backstroke, lowering it to 1:45.63.[8]

2016

At the 2016 Summer Olympics swimming championships, Larkin represented Australia in the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke and the 4 x 100 meter medley relay.[9] In the 100 meter 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 included 50 meter, 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke, as well as the 200 meter Individual Medley and 4 x 100 meter Medley.[10]

International Swimming League

In 2019 he was a member of the inaugural International Swimming League representing the Cali Condors, who finished third place in the final match in Las Vegas, Nevada in December. Larkin was one of the top point scorers at each match for the Condors swimming backstroke, IM, and relays.[11]

See also

• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke

References

1. "Mitchell Larkin". swimming.org.au. Swimming Australia. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
2. Keith, Braden (9 December 2019). "cali-condors-unveil-roster-for-2019-international-swimming-league-finale". SwimSwam.
3. Jeffery, Nicole. "Mitch Larkin finally settles on his new coach, Simon Cusack". The Australian. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
4. London 2012 Archived 28 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
6. Lord, Craig (6 November 2015). "Mitch Larkin Refuses 2nd Best on the Clock: 52.11 Back Blast Seals Status at World No1". Swimvortex. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
7. Lord, Craig (7 November 2015). "Mitch Larkin Rattles 1:53 Barrier & The Cage of an American Olympic Tradition". Swimvortex. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
8. Lord, Craig (27 November 2015). "Dolphin Mitch Larkin Leaps To 1:45.6 WR 200 Back Not Far Off Free Pace of the Albatross". Swimvortex. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
9. "2016 Australian Olympic Swimming Team selected". Australian Olympic Committee. 14 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
10. 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.
11. Keith, Braden (9 December 2019). "international-swimming-league-finale-in-las-vegas-day-two-live-recap". SwimSwam.

External links

• Mitchell Larkin at Swimming Australia (archive)
• Mitchell Larkin at the Australian Olympic Committee
• Mitch Larkin at FINA
• Mitch Larkin at the International Olympic Committee
• Mitch Larkin at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)