Ben Labowitch

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Ben Labowitch
Personal information
Full nameBen-Rachmiel Labowitch
National teamFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Born (1980-07-01) 1 July 1980 (age 44)
Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
ClubNorth Shore Swim Club
College team Drury University (U.S.)
CoachThomas Ansorg

Ben-Rachmiel Labowitch (born 1 July 1980) is a New Zealand former swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events. [1] Since his mother is a New Zealand citizen, Labowitch claims a dual citizenship which allowed him to try out and make the New Zealand Olympic team. [2] Labowitch is also a former member of North Shore Swim Club under his coach Thomas Ensorg, and a graduate of Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, where he played for the Drury Panthers. [3]

Labowitch qualified for three swimming events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He posted FINA B-standard entry times of 1:04.35 (100 m breaststroke) and 2:18.10 (200 m breaststroke) from the Olympic trials in Auckland. [4] [5] [6] On the first day of the Games, Labowitch shared a thirty-sixth place tie with Puerto Rico's Arsenio López in the 100 m breaststroke. Swimming in heat three, he edged out Lithuania's Aurimas Valaitis to break a 1:04 barrier and seize a third seed by 0.12 of a second in 1:03.99. [7] [8] In his second event, 200 m breaststroke, Labowitch challenged seven other swimmers in heat two, including dual citizen Mihail Alexandrov of Bulgaria. He raced to seventh place and thirty-ninth overall in 2:19.25, just 1.15 seconds off his entry time. [9] [10] He also teamed up with Scott Talbot-Cameron, Corney Swanepoel, and Cameron Gibson in the 4 × 100 m medley relay. Swimming the breaststroke leg in heat two, Labowitch recorded a time of 1:03.88, but the New Zealand team missed the final by 5 seconds, finishing in seventh place and twelfth overall with a final time of 3:42.74. [11] [12]

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References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ben Labowitch". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Hayes, Jeron (14 October 2010). "Marine Captain was Olympic contender". DC Military. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "A Time: President's Report 2004". Drury University. Archived from the original on 9 September 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "Swimming – Men's 100m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 3)". Athens 2004 . Omega Timing. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "Swimming – Men's 200m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 2)". Athens 2004 . Omega Timing. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "NZ Olympic Team Profiles: Swimming". TVNZ. 30 June 2004. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 3". Athens 2004 . BBC Sport. 14 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Whitten, Phillip (14 August 2004). "Prelims, Men's 100 Breaststroke: Kitajima, Hansen Qualify One-Two; Japanese Sets Olympic Record". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Men's 200m Breaststroke Heat 2". Athens 2004 . BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  10. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (17 August 2004). "Men's 200 Breaststroke Prelims, Day 4: 15 Year-Old Daniel Gyurta Continues the Hungarian Tradition, Leads with a Swift 2:11.29". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 December 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Men's 4×100m Medley Heat 2". Athens 2004 . BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  12. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (20 August 2004). "Men's 400 Medley Relay, Prelims Day 7: USA Looks Absolutely Unbeatable; Expect a World Record!". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
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