Michael Williamson (swimmer)

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Michael Williamson
Personal information
Full nameMichael Williamson
National teamFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Born (1981-02-05) 5 February 1981 (age 43)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing Ireland
Universiade
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2003 Daegu 200 m breaststroke

Michael Williamson (born 5 February 1981) is an Irish former swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events. [1] He won a bronze medal in the 200 m breaststroke at the 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu, South Korea with a time of 2:15.52. [2] [3]

Williamson qualified for the men's 200 m breaststroke at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by achieving a FINA A-standard entry time of 2:14.18 from the British Olympic trials in Sheffield. [4] [5] He challenged seven other swimmers on the sixth heat, including top medal favorites Brendan Hansen of the United States and Dániel Gyurta of Hungary. He raced to sixth place by more than a second behind Gyurta's teammate Richárd Bodor, outside his entry time of 2:15.75. Williamson failed to advance into the semifinals, as he placed twenty-second overall in the preliminaries. [6] [7]

Three months after the Games, Williamson announced his retirement from swimming to focus his efforts on his career. [8]

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References

  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Michael Williamson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  2. "Williamson wins bronze at World University Games". RTÉ. 24 August 2003. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  3. Jeffrey, Josh (24 August 2003). "China Wins Two, Four Games Records Fall on Day One of World University Games". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  4. "Swimming – Men's 200m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 6)" (PDF). Athens 2004 . Omega Timing. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  5. "Williamson books place in the Olympics". RTÉ. 8 April 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  6. "Men's 200m Breaststroke Heat 3". Athens 2004 . BBC Sport. 17 August 2004. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  7. 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.
  8. "Olympic swimmer Williamson quits". BBC Sport. 15 November 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2013.