Brent Hayden

Brent Hayden

Personal information
Full name	Brent Matthew Hayden
Nickname(s)	Soup
Nationality	Canada
Born	October 21, 1983 (1983-10-21) Mission, British Columbia, Canada.
Height	1.93m
Weight	86kg
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Freestyle
Medal record World Championships (LC) Gold 2007 Melbourne 100 m freestyle Silver 2005 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2005 Montreal 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2011 Shanghai 100 m freestyle Bronze 2007 Melbourne 4×200 m freestyle Commonwealth Games Gold 2010 Delhi 50 m freestyle Gold 2010 Delhi 100 m freestyle Silver 2006 Melbourne 50 m freestyle Bronze 2006 Melbourne 200 m freestyle Bronze 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m medley Bronze 2002 Manchester 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2002 Manchester 4×100 m medley Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2006 Victoria 100 m freestyle Silver 2006 Victoria 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2006 Victoria 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2010 Irvine 100 m freestyle Bronze 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Bronze 2006 Victoria 50 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Irvine 50 m freestyle

Brent Matthew Hayden (born October 21, 1983) is a Canadian swimmer.

Hayden was born and raised in Mission, British Columbia and started swimming when he was five. In his youth, he earned a blackbelt in Isshin Ryu karate. He attended the University of British Columbia for one year. He is also an avid photographer and has his own photography website.

He is currently the Canadian record holder in the 200 m, 100 m and 50 m freestyle in both short-course and long-course. He also held the world record in the 4×100 m medley relay, and the 4×200 m freestyle relay. He won two silver medals on the 4×200 m and 4×100 m freestyle relays at the 2005 World Aquatic Championships in Montreal, Quebec. Additionally, he placed 4th in the 200m free and 6th in the 100 m freestyle, setting new Canadian records in both events. At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, he tied for gold with Filippo Magnini in the 100 m freestyle with a Canadian record time of 48.43. He became the first Canadian in 21 years to win a gold medal in the world championships.

On May 26, 2007 the mayor of Mission declared "Brent Hayden Day". As well, the Mission Marlins renamed their swim meet to the "Brent Hayden Invitational" and a large mural, painted by artist Pascal A.Pelletier, showing Brent hayden victorious at the finish line after breaking the world record! on the wall at the Mission Leisure Center was unveiled.

On June 14, 2009, Brent Hayden beat American Michael Phelps to win the men's 100-metre freestyle at the Santa Clara Grand Prix swimming competition.

2008 Summer Olympics

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, he was a member of the Canadian team that finished sixth in the 4×100 m freestyle event and fifth in the 4×200 m event. Although he qualified third fastest out of sixteen swimmers, one place ahead of Michael Phelps, he did not compete in the semi-finals of the 200 m freestyle. Instead, his coach decided to rest him for the 4×100 m freestyle, which was held that same day (Hayden set a Canadian record in the opening leg with a time of 47.56). He finished out of the finals in the 100 m freestyle.

2009 FINA World Aquatic Championships

Hayden attended at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships. He failed in the defence of his world title, placing fourth with a new Canadian record time of 47.27 seconds and missing the podium by 0.02 seconds. César Cielo Filho was the world champion, and set a new world mark of 46.91 seconds. Hayden was the only swimmer in the final to choose not to wear one of the newest "super suits". He chose to wear the Speedo LZR which was the suit worn by most swimmers at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, whereas every other swimmer in that final was wearing either the new Arena X-Glide or Jaked (both of these suits are completely covered in polyurethane).

2010 Commonwealth Games

Hayden showed strong character in the pool at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, clocking the fastest times in his respective events (50m, and 100m freestyle); setting a Games record in the 100m freestyle during day one, in the 4x100m freestyle relay final. And then breaking his Games record again, in the individual final with an outstanding time of forty-seven seconds, 98 hundredths—0.56 seconds ahead of silver medallist, Simon Burnett. Hayden is now currently number one ranking in the world this year, in this event (also being ahead of 14-time Olympic medallist, Michael Phelps). In the 50m freestyle, Hayden won gold with a Games record time of 22.01 seconds.

Other awards

2005 Canadian Swimmer of the Year

2005 BC Athlete of the Year (Finalist)

2005 Canadian Partners of the Year

2006 Canadian Swimmer of the Year

2006 BC Athlete of the Year

2007 Canadian Swimmer of the Year

2007 BC Athlete of the Year

2007 Canadian Athlete of the Year

External links

• Official Photography Website