Simon Thirsk

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Simon Thirsk
Personal information
Full name Simon Thirsk
National team  South Africa
Born (1977-05-15) 15 May 1977 (age 47)
Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 72 kg (159 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Backstroke
Club Camps Bay Aquatics Club
College team University of Hawaii (U.S.)
Coach Sam Freas (U.S.)
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing South Africa
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1999 Palma 100 m backstroke
All-Africa Games
Silver medal – second place 2003 Abuja 50 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2003 Abuja 100 m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Abuja 200 m backstroke

Simon Thirsk (born May 15, 1977 in Cape Town) is a retired South African swimmer, who specialized in backstroke events.[1] He won a gold medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 1999 Summer Universiade, and later represented South Africa at the 2000 Summer Olympics. While residing in the United States, Thirsk played for the University of Hawaii's swimming and diving team, also known as the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, under head coach Sam Freas.[2]

Thirsk burst onto the global scene at the 1999 Summer Universiade in Palma de Mallorca. In the 100 m backstroke, he fought off a challenge from Japan's Keitaro Konnai to power home with South Africa's first ever gold in 55.97.[3][4]

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Thirsk competed only in two swimming events.[5] After winning a gold medal from the University Games, his entry time of 55.97 was officially accredited under a FINA A-standard.[3][6] In the 100 m backstroke, Thirsk challenged seven other swimmers in heat six, including Cuba's Olympic silver medalist Rodolfo Falcón and Australia's overwhelming favorite Matt Welsh. He rounded out the field to last place and thirtieth overall by a 2.36-second deficit behind winner Welsh in 57.06.[7][8] Thirsk also teamed up with Brett Petersen, Nicholas Folker, and Theo Verster in the 4×100 m medley relay. Leading off a backstroke leg in heat two, Thirsk recorded a split of 56.88, but the South Africans finished the race in fourth place and thirteenth overall with a final time of 3:42.44.[9]

Three years later, at the 2003 All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, Thirsk collected a total of three medals: two silvers in the 50 m backstroke (27.04) and 100 m backstroke (57.60), and a single bronze in the 200 m backstroke (2:09.79).[10][11]

References

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External links

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