Chris Walker-Hebborn
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| Full name | Christopher James Walker-Hebborn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | "Chris" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |
 Great Britain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
1 July 1990 Enfield, London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (180 lb; 13 st) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Backstroke | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | University of Bath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Christopher James Walker-Hebborn (born 1 July 1990) is an English swimmer who competed for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[1] A successful youth and junior athlete, Walker-Hebborn achieved a breakout year in 2014, winning two Commonwealth Games titles and three European Championship titles, including the Commonwealth Games and European Championships 100-metre backstroke gold medals.
A key member of the England and Great Britain medlay relay teams, he formed part of the world record breaking, world title winning Great Britain mixed medlay team at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships. He also won gold medals as part of the England men's medley relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and both men's and mixed medlay relay teams at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships, again with Great Britain. In 2016 he was part of the Great Britain team to retain both the men's and mixed medley relay titles, his fourth and fifth European golds. At the 2016 Rio olympics he won a silver medal as part of the mens 4x100m medley relay.
Early career
He is currently based at the University of Bath, where he trains at one of British Swimming's Intensive Training Centres. As a teenager he spent two years at the British Offshore Centre in Australia at The Southport School, from 2006 to 2008.
In March 2009, he qualified for his first senior World Championships after beating event favourite James Goddard in the 200 m backstroke at the British Championships, held in Sheffield.[2]
Walker-Hebborn's preliminary heat performance in Rome secured him a place in the semifinals where, as one of the few swimmers not wearing the controversial full body suit. This is when he set a new British record to become a finalist. The record was to stand only briefly, as he broke it again in the finals (1:56.05), placing 9th.
He was offered a scholarship at Florida State University in January 2009 but returned to his Bury St. Edmunds home after just a few weeks due to lack of long course training.
Competition results
| International competition | Event | Time | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships 2009 | 200 m backstroke | 1:56.05 (NR) | 9th |
| Domestic competition | Event | Time | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Championships 2014 | 100 m backstroke | 53.82 | GOLD |
| 50 m backstroke | 25.09 | GOLD | |
| British Championships 2011 | 100 m backstroke | 55.41 | SILVER |
| 200 m backstroke | 2:01.94 | BRONZE | |
| British Championships 2010 | 200 m backstroke | 1:57.39 | SILVER |
| 100 m backstroke | 54.78 | SILVER | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:49.98 | 6th | |
| British Championships 2009 | 200 m backstroke | 1:57.95 | GOLD |
| 100 m backstroke | 54.96 | SILVER | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:48.99 | 5th |
References
- 1 2 Chris Walker-Hebborn. sports-reference.com
- ↑ "'Poppet' backs himself for a stroke of fortune". The Independent. 22 March 2009.