Zoë Baker
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality |  Great Britain (birth to 2004 and 2012 onwards)  New Zealand (2005 to 2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 February 1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Breaststroke | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zoë Baker (born 29 February 1976) is a former world record holder in swimming who represented Great Britain until 2005, when she switched allegiance to New Zealand whilst living there.[1] She later returned to the United Kingdom and she switched her allegiance back to Great Britain in 2011.[2]
Swimming career
[edit]National titles
[edit]Baker won the ASA National British Championships 50 metres breaststroke title eight times (1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003).[3][4][5][6]
1999
[edit]At the 1999 European Aquatics Championships in Istanbul, Baker swam 31.43 seconds in the semifinal of the 50-m breaststroke to set a European record.[7] She collected a silver medal in the final.[8]
2000
[edit]Baker earned the silver medal in the 50-m breaststroke at the 2000 European Aquatics Championships in Helsinki, finishing behind Ágnes Kovács of Hungary.[9]
2001
[edit]Baker won the bronze medal in the 50-m breaststroke at the 2001 FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, finishing with a time of 31.40.[10]
2002
[edit]Baker represented England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester winning the gold medal in the women's 50 m breaststroke in a time of 30.60 seconds.[11] She also set a world record of 30.57 seconds in the semifinal round of the same event, breaking the previous mark set by Penny Heyns of South Africa.[12] In addition, she set a short-course world record with a mark of 30.53 seconds at the South African National Short Championships in Durban,[13] then surpassed that mark later in the same month.[14]
2003
[edit]In 2003 Baker collected another medal in the 50-m breaststroke, a bronze at the 2003 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona behind Chinese swimmer Luo Xuejuan.[15]
2006
[edit]At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne she was 4th in the same event, this time representing New Zealand.[16]
2012
[edit]In January 2012 Baker switched her allegiance back to Great Britain for international swimming competitions.[2]
Coaching career
[edit]Baker was the head coach of the Bournemouth Collegiate School Swimming Academy.[2] Baker relocated to Australia in 2022 to take up the head coach role at Peel Aquatic Club, located in Mandurah WA.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ BBC. "Baker to make New Zealand switch". 17 December 2004. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Zoë Baker's Website. Retrieved 21 June 2013
- ^ Lord, Craig (12 June 1992). "Lord, Craig. "Baker passes demanding examination of character." Times, 12 June 1992, p. 32". The Times. Times Digital Archive. p. 32.
- ^ ""For the Record." Times, 11 June 1993, p. 42". The Times. Times Digital Archive. 11 June 1993. p. 42.
- ^ ""For the Record." Times, 9 July 1999, p. 49". The Times. 9 July 1999. p. 49.
- ^ ""For the record." Times, 31 July 2000, p. ^". The Times. 31 July 2000.
- ^ BBC. "Baker sets new 50 metre record". 29 July 1999. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Double silver for British swimmers". 30 July 1999. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ Ballard, Bob. "Brave Baker claims silver". BBC, 10 August 2000. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Baker takes bronze". 27 July 2001. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ Henderson, Charlie. "Baker charges to gold". BBC, 31 July 2002. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Baker smashes world record". 30 July 2002. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Briton sets world record". 5 January 2002. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Baker breaks world record". 27 January 2002. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Phelps ends on high". 27 July 2003. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
- ^ BBC. "Swimming: 50m breaststroke". 19 March 2006. Retrieved on 14 June 2013.
External links
[edit]- Zoe Baker at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- 1976 births
- Living people
- English female breaststroke swimmers
- New Zealand female breaststroke swimmers
- British female breaststroke swimmers
- Swimmers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England
- Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand
- World record setters in swimming
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)
- European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming
- Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- English swimming coaches
- Expatriate sports coaches
- English expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- English emigrants to New Zealand
- Sportspeople from Sheffield
- Swimmers from Christchurch
- New Zealand swimming coaches
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- Naturalised citizens of New Zealand
- Naturalised sports competitors