Kate Haywood: European and World Championship breast-stroke medalist
The 2008 Olympian, Kate Haywood is considered by many to be Britain’s breast-stroke specialist. Her powerful swimming has taken her to the top of many tournaments and she has managed to win a host of awards and medals for her brilliant performances in the
pool.
Haywood won her first medal in the 50m breast-stroke in a time of 33.77 seconds at the 2000 British Swimming Championships. She also participated in the 100m breast-stroke in which she stood 10th in a time of 1:13.27 minutes.
The following year at the same championship, her performance improved in terms of timing as she finished the 50m breast-stroke in 32.45, but won a bronze medal. She finished eighth in the 100m breast-stroke in 1:15.34 and 20th in the 200m breast-stroke
in 2:44.43.
During the 2002 Amateur Swimming Association National Championships, she participated in all the breast-stroke events and finished fourth in the 50m breast-stroke and the 100m breast-stroke in 33.09 and 1:11.54 respectively. This time she won her first medal
in the 200m breast-stroke, with a time of 2:36.16 earning her silver.
Later at the British Championships, Haywood won two bronze medals in the 50m breast-stroke and the 100m breast-stroke in 32.86 and 1:10.49 respectively. She then represented Britain in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, where she came in seventh in the 50m breast-stroke
in 32.57 and sixth in the 100m breast-stroke in 1:10.20. She also won a bronze medal in the 4*100m medley relay in 4:05.65, as part of the relay team.
At the 2003 British Championships, she won a silver medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 32.67 and finished sixth in the 100m breast-stroke in 1:11.85 and fourth in the 200m breast-stroke in 2:34.01. The same year at the ASA Championships, Haywood won a gold
medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 32.81 and a silver medal in the 100m breast-stroke in 1:11.63.
In 2004 Haywood participated in only the 100m breast-stroke at the British and European Short Course Championships. She won a bronze medal in 32.67 at the British Championships and the same during the European Championships in 31.52.
Haywood won a gold medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 31.45 and a silver medal in the 100m breast-stroke in a time of 1:09.27 at 2005 British Championships. Her victory in the event led to her qualification for Britain’s Swimming Team for the 2005 World Championships.
She participated in the 50m breast-stroke and finished sixth with a timing of 31.17.
In 2006, at the European Short Course Championships, she won a silver medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 30.88 and a silver medal in the 4*50m medley relay in 1:48.26, as part of the relay team. At the European Long Course Championships, she took a silver
medal in the 50m breaststroke in 31.74 whereas she managed to finish fifth in the 100m breast-stroke in 1:08.78.
During the 2008 World Championships, she secured a silver medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 30.35 and a bronze medal in the 4*100m medley relay in 3:53.02. The same year at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Haywood participated in the 100m breast-stroke and the
4*100m medley relay and finished 11th in the breast-stroke swim and fourth in the 4*100m medley relay.
The following year, Haywood won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke with an improved timing of 1:09.56. The same year at the European Championships, she took a silver medal in the 50m breast-stroke in 31.12 and a gold medal in the 4*100m medley relay
team.
Currently, at the 2011 British Gas Swimming Championships, Haywood won a silver medal in the 100m breast-stroke whereas she did not take part in the other breast-stroke events.
Haywood’s fiercely competitive swimming style and sheer dedication, has put her at the top of her field. She will definitely add to the already long list of accolades, if she continues on her winning ways.
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