Katy Sexton

Last updated

Katy Sexton (Sexton-Hovey)
Katy Sexton before the Athens Olympics 2004.jpg
Personal information
Nationality British
Born (1982-06-21) 21 June 1982 (age 42)
Portsmouth, UK
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb; 10.2 st)
SpouseScott Hovey
Sport
Club Portsmouth Northsea SC
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m back LC: 1:00.49
200 m back LC: 2:08.74
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
World Championships - Long Course
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2003 Barcelona 200 m backstroke
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2003 Barcelona 100 m backstroke
European Championships - Long Course
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1999 Istanbul 4×50 m medley
European Championships - Short Course
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2000 Valencia 100 m backstroke
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1999 Lisbon 4×50 m medley
Representing Flag of England.svg  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1998 Kuala Lumpur 200 m backstroke
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2002 Manchester [1] 200 m backstroke

Katy Sexton, MBE (born 21 June 1982) is a former Olympic swimmer from Great Britain. She became the first British swimmer to win a World Championship title, when she won the Women's 200m Back at the 2003 World Championships. She is twice an Olympian and has represented Great Britain in four World Championships, the first in 1998 when she was 16, and in three Commonwealth Games. She was given the MBE for services to swimming in the 2004 New Year Honours list. [2]

Contents

Early life

Katy was born in Portsmouth. She attended Springfield School from 1994 to 1998. It was there that she learned to swim and where she returned to train for Olympic trials in early 2012, but can remember splashing around in pools when she was about three years old. [3] Katy began her career by coming third in the European Youth Olympics in 1995. [4] She had the desire and motivation to succeed at an even higher level with a grueling daily schedule of early morning training (5.30-7.30am), school and then training again for 2 hours in the evening. This helped Katy prepare for the Olympic Games. [5]

Sexton first appeared on the senior scene at the age of 15 with her first taste of what it was all about being the youngest member of the GB World Championship team in Perth, Australia in 1998.

International career

1997

Having broken various British junior records in this year, and finishing second in the 100m backstroke at European juniors, Katy was selected to represent Great Britain at senior level for the first time.

1998

In this year Katy competed at the senior World Championships in Perth for the first time, having been let off from school to do so. Following this, there was the Swimming World Cup where Sexton broke 5 British junior records.

But by far and away her biggest achievement this year was when she competed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games held at Kuala Lumpur and winning the 200m backstroke title at the age of 16 [6] in a time of 2:13.18 [7]

1999

World Short Course in Hong Kong where she swam backstroke in the medley team where they broke the British record. Competed at the European Long Course Championships held in Istanbul just missing out on a medal in the 200m backstroke by 0.2 of a second. Sexton did gain a bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay along with Zoe Baker, Sue Rolph and Karen Pickering. Competed at the European Short Course Championships held at Lisbon. Once again Katy came fourth in the individual 100m backstroke and broke the British record once again in the 4x50m medley relay. Became the ASA National British Championships 50 metres backstroke champion [8] and the 100 metres backstroke champion. [9]

2000

Broke British record in the 200m backstroke in a time of 2:13.00 at the US Nationals in Seattle. On 16 April, Sexton's club side, Portsmouth Northsea Swimming Club, won the Speedo League final at Coventry. In this year, Katy qualified for the Olympics for the first time in Sydney. In the 100m backstroke she narrowly missed the final finishing in equal 10th overall. In the 4 × 100 m medley relay the GB team finished 7th in the final once again breaking the British record. Competed at the European Short Course Championships held at Valencia winning a silver medal in the 100m backstroke in a time of 1:00.04. Retained 100 metres backstroke British title. [10]

2001

Competed in the Swimming World Cup in Sheffield breaking the British record for the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:08.13. In the Long Course World Championships in Fukuoka Katy made the semi-finals in both the 100m and 200m backstroke. On 19 September Katy woke with a stabbing pain in her back. Diagnosis by the Team GB doctors revealed brachial neuritis, also known as Parsonage–Turner syndrome. As a consequence, Sexton was out of competitive action for 6 months, but continued to train in the water just using legs only.

2002

Competed at the 2002 Commonwealth Games held at Manchester, where she finished third behind Sarah Price in the 200m backstroke. [6]

2003

At the British Trials on 20 March 2003, Katy Sexton shattered the Commonwealth record to book her place at the World Championships in 1min 00.49sec, the sixth fastest ever at that time. [6] Sexton, who was then coached by Chris Nesbitt in Portsmouth, had a previous best before the championships of 1min 01.80sec. Naturally, she was overjoyed: "O my God! I'm not going to sleep tonight," she said. "I knew I was capable of doing a good time but had no idea I'd go that fast." She put her new found speed down to the weight-training she has introduced to her programme since the Commonwealth Games in Manchester the previous year and the three-weeks training at Britain's official offshore training camp on the Gold Coast in Australia. "That definitely helped," she said. [6]

At the World Championships, in the Women's 100m backstroke in a closely fought final it was German Antje Buschschulte who touched the pads in 1:00.50, with Denmark's Louise Ornstedt and Katy Sexton in a tie for silver in 1:00.86 [11]

In the Women's 200m backstroke Seventeen year-old Russian Stanislava Komarova looked the pre-race favorite in this race, having swum a PR 2:09.39 to be fastest qualifier. However, Great Britain's Katy Sexton had been just a little faster this year with a 2:09.27.The young Russian looked comfortable at the second turn, leading from Ukrainian Iryna Amshennikova with Sexton third. At the third turn Komarova still had her head in front, but it was Margaret Hoelzer moving up to second place (just 0.07 seconds behind), the Ukrainian third and Sexton next. As is often the case, the main action happens in the last fifty. Komorova was struggling and Sexton was powering home as Hoelzer also moved past the Russian. At the wall Sexton touched first, giving Great Britain its first women's gold in a NR 2:08.74 (7th all-time performer). Hoelzer took the silver in a PR 2:09.24 with Komarova holding on for the bronze in a disappointing 2:10.17. [12] Regained 100 metres backstroke British title and won first 200 metres backstroke title.

2004

2004 was an Olympic year with 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Going into the Games, both the 100m backstroke and the 200m backstroke were considered fairly open and up for grabs by a number of swimmers, including Katy. [13] In the 200m final, Sexton finished 7th with a time of 2.12.11. [14] Fourth 100 metres backstroke British title and second 200 metres backstroke title.

2005

Having qualified for the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Katy Sexton and James Gibson were the individuals who were aiming to defend their crowns. [15] In the 200m final, Katy finished eighth in 2:13.39. [16]

2006

Competed at the Commonwealth Games held at Melbourne where Katy made 3 finals; in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke. Fifth 100 metres backstroke British title. Sexton made the European Long Course in Budapest this year. It was at the end of this year that Katy started training with Mark Foster. Regained 50 metres backstroke British title.

2007

European Short Course in Debrecen, Hungary where she made two finals breaking the British senior record in the 50m backstroke in 27:99. Sixth 100 metres backstroke British title and third 50 metres title.

2008

Katy just missed out on the Beijing Olympics, when she finished 3rd at the British trials behind Gemma Spofforth and Elizabeth Simmonds.

2012

At the age of 29, Katy attempted to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics at 200m backstroke.

Masters career

Sexton competed in K2 in Crawley for the South East Regionals Masters Championships in 2013, where she claimed double gold at the event. Her victory in the 50m backstroke in a time of 29.84secs broke her own British and European records. She also went close to setting a new British record in her 50m freestyle win at 27.23secs.

'To break the British and European record I set last year was pretty cool,’ said Sexton, who hadn’t raced in six months.'I haven’t actually retired full-time from the pool, I’m more in semi-retirement. So I thought I’d compete in the Masters, which is nice and relaxed, and without too much pressure. [17] [18]

At the Marlin's Masters meet in Medina on the Isle of Wight, on 8 February 2014, Katy broke two British records for a masters race. In the 50m butterfly she knocked nearly 2 seconds off the record with a time of 29.91 sec. In the 50m freestyle she achieved a time of 26.50 sec.

Coaching career

Katy is determined to give something back to the Portsmouth community [19] that supported her so well during her competitive days.Through the Katy Sexton Swim Academy, which she founded in 2010, she teaches and inspires the next generation of swimmers. Sexton says, "It’s not something I’ve just put my name on - I’m actually hands on with it." [20] Based in Havant, it has more than 300 recruits, with the former Portsmouth Northsea member hoping to unearth one or two stars of the future. [17] She also mentors up and coming sportsmen and women from around the South Coast. Working further afield, Katy works with her fellow Olympian, good friend and former world champion at the Mark Foster Swimming Academy. [21]

In 2011, Sexton was appointed an ambassador of the Swimming Teachers' Association (STA). Tasked with promoting water safety education and to raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim, she represents the STA at key events and provides technical expertise to its 6500 members through continuous professional development courses. [22]

Jasmine Blofield, President of Junior Chamber International Portsmouth says, 'Katy's passion, ambition and determination makes her the perfect person share her inspirations and ideas on how we can all drive ourselves to perform at our best and achieve our goals, both personal and professional.' [23]

Charity work

Stemming from her own experiences with depression, Katy Sexton is patron to Off The Record, the counseling service for 11- to 25-year-olds. In her own words, Katy says, "having been an international athlete for a number of years and living and growing up in Portsmouth, it's nice to be able to give something back to my local community, so I am thrilled to be offering my support to Off The Record. Such a fantastic service is provided for all young people in the area, it's great to be able to assist Off The Record in helping ensure this essential service is continued. [24]

Sexton also regularly takes part in charity events in the local area; she recently took part a charity swimming race, where she went head-to-head in a 100m race in the swimming pool of Springfield School in aid of Comic Relief [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Long</span> Russian-American Paralympic swimmer

Jessica Tatiana Long is a Russian-born American Paralympic swimmer from Baltimore, Maryland, who competes in the S8, SB7 and SM8 category events. She has held many world records and competed at six Paralympic Games, winning 30 medals. She has won over 50 world championship medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Tancock</span> English swimmer (born 1985)

Liam John Tancock is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, FINA world championships, and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games. He specialised in backstroke and individual medley events. He is a three-time world champion and a four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and held the world record in the 50-metre backstroke for almost a decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Hoelzer</span> American swimmer

Margaret Josephine Hoelzer is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Hoelzer competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Olympic Games.

Robert "Bobby" Hurley is an Australian swimmer and former World Record holder in the short-course 50 metres Backstroke and 2012 World Champion in the same event. In 2009 he won a bronze medal as a team member on the 4 × 200 m Freestyle relay at the FINA World Championships in Rome. He has five FINA World Championship medals to his name, two gold, one silver and two bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Watkin</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Louise Stephanie Watkin is a British Paralympic swimmer. Watkin swims in the S9 category and represented Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Paralympics, in which she won two silver and two bronze medals. She won one silver and three bronze medals at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Coleman</span> Swedish swimmer (born 1993)

Michelle Coleman is a Swedish competitive swimmer specialized in the sprint freestyle and backstroke events. She is the current Swedish national record holder in the 100 meter backstroke, and the 200 meter backstroke. She finished 7th in the 200 meter freestyle at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and led off the Swedish silver medal winning 4 × 100 m medley relay team at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ekaterina Avramova (swimmer)</span> Turkish swimmer (born 1991)

Ekaterina Avramova is a Bulgarian-born swimmer competing for Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica-Jane Applegate</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE is a British Paralympic swimmer. Applegate competes in the S14 classification for swimmers with intellectual disabilities, mainly freestyle and backstroke preferring shorter distances. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and on 2 September, Applegate won the gold setting a Paralympic record in the S14 200m freestyle.

Jennifer Fratesi is a Canadian former competitive swimmer who specialized in backstroke events. Fratesi set a Canadian record of 2:11.16 in the 200-metre backstroke at the 2001 FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, placing 4th in the world. This national record would last nearly a decade, one of the oldest in the country. Fratesi grew up in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario swimming for the Sault Ste Marie Aquatics club until age 15, then relocated to the national swim center in Waterloo Ontario. She saw an immediate drop in her times here under the direction of Bud McAllister, an American born coach. Fratesi went on to win 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze at the Junior Olympics in Sydney, Australia and won 10 national senior titles in her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Diener</span> German swimmer

Christian Diener is a German backstroke swimmer. Jörg Hoffmann is his coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Tai</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Alice Tai, is a British paralympic swimmer. Tai competes in the SB8, SM8 and S8. She has represented Great Britain at European and World Championships and at the Commonwealth and Paralympic Games, gold medals at all levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylie Masse</span> Canadian swimmer

Kylie Jacqueline Masse is a Canadian competitive swimmer. A noted backstroke specialist, she is a five-time Olympic medallist, three-time World Aquatics champion, three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and the 2018 Pan Pacific champion in the 100 metre backstroke. She is currently the captain for the Toronto Titans of the International Swimming League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Schuster</span> Samoan swimmer

Brandon Schuster is a Samoan swimmer who represented Samoa at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He holds multiple Samoan records in swimming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaylee McKeown</span> Australian swimmer (born 2001)

Kaylee Rochelle McKeown is an Australian swimmer and quintuple Olympic gold medalist. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke. She is the world record holder in the long course 50 metre backstroke, the short course 100 metre backstroke and both the long course and short course 200 metre backstroke. She won gold in both the 100 metre and 200 metre backstroke at both the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. In 2023, she was named as the "Best Female Swimmer of the Year" by World Aquatics, after sweeping gold in all three events of backstroke at all three World Cup legs, held in Berlin, Athens and Budapest in October, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anastasia Gorbenko</span> Israeli swimmer (born 2003)

Anastasia "Nastiya" Gorbenko is an Israeli competitive swimmer. She competes in the backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and medley. She has won 8 World and European championships gold medals, competed at 2 Olympic finals, broken most of the Israeli national records for women and mixed relays, and is considered to be Israel's greatest swimmer of all time. In February 2024, Gorbenko won a silver medal at the Doha World Championships in the women's 400 meters individual medley. Gorbenko represented Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in swimming in the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 4x200m freestyle relay, and mixed 4x100m medley relay.

Rebecca Meder is a South African swimmer. She is the African record holder in the 100 metre individual medley and the South African record holder in the long course and short course 200 metre individual medley. At the 2022 World Short Course Championships, she placed sixth in the final of the 100 metre individual medley. In the 200 metre individual medley at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she placed fourth in the final. At the 2021 African Championships, she won 11 gold medals, six in individual events and five in relay events, swimming on the finals relay for each of the five relay events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toni Shaw</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Toni Stephanie Shaw is a British Paralympic swimmer. In 2019 she set the world record time for the S9 200m butterfly, and was also part of the team that set a new world record for the 4 × 100 m medley relay. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she won a bronze medal in the women's 400 metre freestyle S9 event and later went on to win gold at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, becoming the World Champion. She is a three-time World Champion and two-time European Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Srihari Nataraj</span> Indian swimmer (born 2001)

Srihari Nataraj is an Indian swimmer. He represented India at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. He qualified for Tokyo Summer Olympics after FINA approved his 'A' standard qualification time in men's 100m backstroke time trial at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. He represented India at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

References

  1. ↑ "BBC Sport Commonwealth Games 2002 Statistics". BBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  2. ↑ "Sexton, Gibson Receive MBE Honors". Swimming World magazine. 2 January 2004. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Katy Sexton, 21". Times Online. 10 January 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Olympian - Katy Sexton". Portsmouth City Council. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "About Katy". KSSA. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Katy Sexton Bests Sarah Price as Both Women Break 100m Backstroke Commonwealth Record at British Trials". Swimming World Magazine. 20 March 2003. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "1998 Commonwealth Games: Day 6". Swimming World Magazine. 18 September 1998. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  8. ↑ ""For the Record." Times, 12 July 1999, p. 43". Times Digital Archive.
  9. ↑ ""For the Record." Times, 12 July 1999, p. 43". Times Digital Archive.
  10. ↑ ""For the record." Times, 28 July 2000, p. 37". Times Digital Archive.
  11. ↑ "Phelps Sets World Record, Three Championship Marks Tumble". Swimming World Magazine. 23 July 2003. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "World Champs, Finals Day 7: Crocker Stuns Phelps; Popov Gets his Second Double; Inky, Stockbauer Repeat, Three Championship Marks Tumble". Swimming World Magazine. 26 July 2003. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "2004 Olympic Preview". Swimming World Magazine. 31 July 2004. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  14. ↑ "Olympics 2004". BBC. 12 August 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  15. ↑ "Sexton, Gibson Will Lead 18-Member British Squad at World Championships". Swimming World. 24 June 2005. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  16. ↑ "World Champs, Day 6 Prelims: Crocker is Blazing Fast in 100 Butterfly". Swimming World. 29 July 2005. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  17. 1 2 "Sexton Back in Familiar Waters". The News. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "ASA South East Region Long Course Masters 2013". ASA Swim South East. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "Katy Sexton Ready To Rediscover Winning Form". Female First. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "London 2012: A swimmer's story". CNN. 27 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Mark Foster Swimming Academy". Mark Foster Swim. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "STA appoints swimming champion Sexton as ambassador". Leisure Opportunities. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  23. ↑ "Open Evening with Olympic Swimmer Katy Sexton MBE". JCI Portsmouth. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Off The Record Our Patrons". Off the Record. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "Store boss takes on champion swimmer in madcap challenge". The News. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.