Sarah Hardcastle

Last updated

Sarah Hardcastle
Personal information
Full nameSarah Lucy Hardcastle
National teamGreat Britain
Born (1969-04-09) 9 April 1969 (age 55)
Chelmsford, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight60 kg (132 lb; 9 st 6 lb)
Relatives Eve Thomas (daughter)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Freestyle, individual medley
ClubBOSS
CoachMike Higgs
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles 800 m freestyle
World Championships – Long Course
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1986 Madrid 400 m freestyle
World Championships – Short Course
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1995 Rio de Janeiro 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1995 Rio de Janeiro 400 m freestyle
European Championships – Long Course
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1985 Sofia 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1983 Rome 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1993 Sheffield 4×200 m freestyle
Representing Flag of England.svg  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1986 Edinburgh 400 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1986 Edinburgh 800 m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1986 Edinburgh 4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1994 Victoria 4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1986 Edinburgh 400 m medley
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1994 Victoria 400 m freestyle

Sarah Lucy Hardcastle (born 9 April 1969), also known by her married name Sarah Thomas, [1] is a British former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, world championships and European championships, and swam for England in the Commonwealth Games. She specialised in the 400- and 800-metre freestyle, and also competed in medley races. Hardcastle won multiple major championship medals over the course of her career, including individual silver and bronze medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics at the age of 15 and two individual gold medals at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. She retired from the sport in 1986 but returned in 1993, winning gold at the World Short Course Championships for the 800-metre freestyle in 1995 and reaching the final of the same event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Career

Hardcastle finished second in the 800-metre freestyle at the British national championships in 1982, aged 13. She was selected for the England team at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, [2] where she reached the final of the 800-metre freestyle. [3] In 1983 she won the bronze medal in the 800-metre freestyle at the European Championships, aged 14. [4]

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she became the youngest ever British woman to win an Olympic medal [5] when she won silver in the 400-metre freestyle, aged 15 years, 3 months and 22 days. [6] She also won bronze in the 800-metre freestyle, and finished ninth the 400-metre individual medley. [7]

Hardcastle won the silver medal in the 800-metre freestyle and finished sixth in the 400-metre freestyle at the 1985 European Championships. [8] At the 1986 Commonwealth Games, she won gold medals in both the 400- and 800-metre freestyle. Her time of 8:24.77 in the 800-metre freestyle was the second-fastest ever recorded, 0.15 seconds outside the world record held by Tracey Wickham, and a new European record. [9] Her time in the 400-metre freestyle was a Commonwealth Games record. [10] She also won bronze in the 400-metre individual medley, [11] and was a member of the team that won silver in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay. [12] She won the bronze medal in the 400-metre freestyle at the 1986 World Championships. [5]

Hardcastle initially retired from competitive swimming in 1986 at the age of 17; in a 2012 interview she said that after years of training she had wanted to have a normal teenage life. [7] She participated in Prince Edward's charity television special The Grand Knockout Tournament in 1987. After a spell working as a secretary at Ford, [13] she decided to return to the sport in 1992 [14] and resumed competing in 1993. [15] Hardcastle was a member of the relay teams that won bronze in the 4×200-metre freestyle at the 1993 European Championships and silver at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, [7] where she also won an individual bronze medal in the 400-metre freestyle. [16] In 1995 she won the 800 m freestyle gold medal [17] and bronze in the 400 m freestyle at the World Short Course Championships. [18] At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta she reached the final of the 800-metre freestyle, finishing eighth. [19]

At the ASA National British Championships she is a five times winner of the 400 metres freestyle in (1984, 1986, 1993-1995) and four times winner of the 800 metres freestyle (1984, 1986, 1993 and 1995), in addition to being the champion over 400 metres medley in 1983 and 1986. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

Hardcastle retired permanently from competitive swimming after the 1996 Olympics, later moving to New Zealand to work as a swimming coach. [7]

Personal life

Hardcastle was born in Chelmsford, Essex [1] and attended Shoebury High School. [7] Her mother, Ann Hardcastle, is a former swimming coach who taught several British elite swimmers including Mark Foster. [25] Hardcastle married Lee Thomas in 1995; [15] the couple have four children. [7] Her daughter Eve Thomas [26] is a current international swimmer representing New Zealand.

See also

Related Research Articles

Leslie G. Cliff,, later known by her married name Leslie Tindle, is a Canadian former competitive swimmer who participated in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayley Lewis</span> Australian swimmer

Hayley Jane Lewis, OAM, is an Australian former competitive swimmer best known for winning five gold medals and one bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games as a 15-year-old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Foster (swimmer)</span> British swimmer

Mark Andrew Foster is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics and world championships, and swam for England in the Commonwealth Games. Foster is a former world champion and won multiple medals in international competition during his long career. He competed primarily in butterfly and freestyle at 50 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marianne Limpert</span> Canadian swimmer (born 1972)

Marianne Louise Limpert is a Canadian former freestyle and medley swimmer who competed in the Summer Olympics for Canada in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and won the silver medal in the 200-metre individual medley in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. She was also Canada's flagbearer at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

June Alexandra Croft is an English former freestyle swimmer.

Neil Cochran is a Scottish former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, European championships and World University Games, and swam for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, during the 1980s. Cochran competed in medley and freestyle swimming events.

Paul Robert Easter is a former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, and competed for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games.

John Philip Davey is an English former competition swimmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mireia Belmonte</span> Spanish swimmer (born 1990)

Mireia Belmonte García is a Spanish Olympic, world, and European champion swimmer. She is the world record holder in the short course 200 metre butterfly and 400 metre individual medley. Formerly, she held the world record in the short course 400 metre freestyle, 800 metre freestyle, and 1500 metre freestyle. She was the first Spanish woman to win a gold medal in swimming at an Olympic Games and is widely considered to be the greatest Spanish swimmer of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Adlington</span> English swimmer (born 1989)

Rebecca Adlington is an English former competitive swimmer who specialised in freestyle events in international competition. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 400-metre freestyle and 800-metre freestyle, breaking the 19-year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800-metre final. Adlington was Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, and the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908. After winning her first World Championship gold over 800 metres in 2011, along with silver in the 400 metres at the same meet, she won bronze medals in both the women's 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Adlington is one of the few people to have won Olympic Games, World Championships, European championships and Commonwealth Games gold medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazmin Carlin</span> British swimmer (born 1990)

Jazmin Roxy "Jazz" Carlin is a former British competitive swimmer, who previously represented Wales and the Great Britain swimming team. She competed primarily in endurance freestyle events, and was based at the University of Bath. She won gold for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, double gold for Great Britain in the 400 metres and 800 metres freestyle at both the 2014 European Championships and the 2015 European Championships before winning two silver medals for Great Britain in the same events behind Katie Ledecky at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Blair Catherine Evans is an Australian middle distance freestyle swimmer.

Brian Brinkley is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games, FINA world championships and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games, during the 1970s. During his elite swimming career, he won thirteen medals in major international swimming championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Wallace (swimmer)</span> Scottish swimmer, Semi-Pro Gigalow, Life Coach

Daniel Wallace is a retired Scottish swimmer who has represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and FINA world championships, and Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. The 2014 Commonwealth Games champion at 400 metre individual medley, he was part of the Great Britain 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay team that won gold at the 2015 FINA World Aquatics Championships, and silver at the same event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In June 2023, Dan Wallace swam the channel, as part of a 5-man relay team, in aid of multiple charities, raising over £200.000 in aid of Cancer Research and funds to support Ukrainian refugees. Dan loves toast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Guy (swimmer)</span> British swimmer (born 1995)

James George Guy is an English competitive swimmer who specialises in freestyle and butterfly. Guy has won multiple gold medals at each of the major international meets available to him, including for Great Britain at the Olympic Games (3), the World (5) and European Championships (7), and for England in the Commonwealth Games (2). In addition to further medals in those events, he has also reached the podium at both the World and European short-course championships. With 46 major medals at international championship meets, 20 at global level, he is one of the most decorated swimmers in British history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duncan Scott (swimmer)</span> Scottish competitive swimmer

Duncan William MacNaughton Scott is a Scottish swimmer representing Great Britain at the FINA World Aquatics Championships, LEN European Aquatics Championships, European Games and the Olympic Games, and Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. Scott made history after winning four medals - more than any other British athlete at a single Olympic Games - in Tokyo 2020, simultaneously becoming Great Britain's most decorated swimmer in Olympic history. With an additional gold and silver medal in Paris 2024 bringing his total to eight, Scott became Scotland's most-decorated Olympian, and is currently tied with Bradley Wiggins as the second most-decorated Olympian in British history. Scott is the only athlete in the top three to still be actively competing.

Stephen Milne is a Scottish swimmer who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Max Robert Litchfield is a British competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the 2016 Olympics, and the LEN European Aquatics Championships. He also swam for England in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He competes internationally in freestyle and medley swimming events. Litchfield studies physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University. He currently represents Energy Standard in the International Swimming League. Litchfield is the son of former professional footballer, Peter Litchfield and his younger brother Joe Litchfield is also a swimmer.

Summer Ann McIntosh is a Canadian competitive swimmer. She is a three-time Olympic champion, four-time World Aquatics champion, and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Noted for her strength in medley and butterfly events, she is the current world record holder in the 400 metre individual medley, and also holds the Olympic and textile records in the 200 metre butterfly event, and the Olympic record in the 200 metre individual medley.

Freya Constance Colbert is an English international swimmer. Representing Great Britain, she is the 2024 World Championship gold medalist in the 400 metres individual medley. She has represented England at the Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal.

References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sarah Hardcastle". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Brisbane selection for Miss Hardcastle". The Times . London. 25 August 1982. p. 16.
  3. ↑ Streeton, Richard (2 October 1982). "Promising start for England led by Miss Croft". The Times. London. p. 15.
  4. ↑ Still, Athole (27 August 1983). "Hubble blames British coaches after failure". The Times. London. p. 16.
  5. 1 2 Press Association (8 May 2012). "Medal joy for teenager, Los Angeles 1984". MSN Sport. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  6. ↑ Viner, Brian (4 August 2008). "Tom Daley: The boy in the bubbles". The Independent . Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Phillips, Chris (18 July 2012). "Sarah Hardcastle: I was 15 and thought I was invincible". Times Series Newspapers. Newsquest (London) Ltd. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Still, Athole (9 August 1985). "Swimming: Hardcastle's high hopes sink". The Times. London. p. 20.
  9. ↑ "Commonwealth Games: English Teen Sets a Record". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 30 July 1986. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "Hardcastle Records Freestyle Record". Orlando Sentinel. 28 July 1986. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  11. ↑ "Moorhouse is pipped by Davis". The Times. London. 26 July 1986. p. 30.
  12. ↑ "Results (accessed by searching by event/year)". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Hodgson, Guy (18 July 1996). "Hardcastle holding back sands of time". The Independent. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  14. ↑ Hodgson, Guy (1 August 1993). "Hardcastle faces long haul back". The Independent. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  15. 1 2 Lonsbrough, Anita (January 1996). "World Champion at Last". SwimNews. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  16. ↑ Mackay, Duncan (23 August 1994). "Birmingham duo disrupt Australia's flow: Swimming domination broken". The Independent . Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  17. ↑ "Swimming: Hardcastle splashes out with gold". The Independent. 2 December 1995. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  18. ↑ "Hardcastle adds bronze to gold". The Independent. 3 December 1995. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  19. ↑ Hodgson, Guy (26 July 1996). "Swimming: Hardcastle fails to lift British spirits". The Independent. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  20. ↑ ""Swimming." Times, 17 Aug. 1984, p. 18". The Times. Times Digital Archive. 17 August 1984. p. 18.
  21. ↑ ""Cowley ruled out of Games for England." Times, 31 May 1986, p. 38". The Times. Times Digital Archive. 31 May 1986. p. 38.
  22. ↑ ""For the Record." Times, 11 June 1993, p. 42". The Times. Times Digital Archive. 11 June 1993. p. 42.
  23. ↑ Lord, Craig (29 July 1994). "Lord, Craig. "Back injury threatens Gillingham Games schedule." Times, 29 July 1994, p. 35". The Times. p. 35.
  24. ↑ ""For the Record." Times, 24 July 1995, p. 28". The Times. 24 July 1995. p. 28.
  25. ↑ Bewick, Angela (10 June 2011). "British Olympians launch the London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer Campaign". Leicester Mercury . Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  26. ↑ "Off to the Olympics". Mother of Eve Thomas. stuff.co.nz. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
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.