Mitch Larkin

Mitchell James Larkin (born 9 July 1993) is an Australian former competitive swimmer who specialises in backstroke events. He represented the Cali Condors as part of the International Swimming League. Larkin competed for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics,^[3] 2016 Summer Olympics^[4] and the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Mitch Larkin

Larkin in 2016, at the Santa Clara Arena Grand Prix
Personal information
Full name	Mitchell James Larkin
Nickname	"Mitch" "Larkinator"
National team	Australia
Born	(1993-07-09) 9 July 1993 (age 32) Nambour, Queensland, Australia
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, medley
Club	Cali Condors[2] Chandler
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Australia Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m backstroke 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m medley World Championships (LC) 2015 Kazan 100 m backstroke 2015 Kazan 200 m backstroke 2019 Gwangju 4×100 m mixed medley 2015 Kazan 4×100 m medley 2017 Budapest 4×100 m mixed medley 2019 Gwangju 100 m backstroke World Championships (SC) 2014 Doha 100 m backstroke 2016 Windsor 100 m backstroke 2016 Windsor 4×100 m medley 2014 Doha 200 m backstroke 2016 Windsor 4×200 m freestyle 2018 Hangzhou 200 m backstroke Pan Pacific Championships 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m mixed medley 2018 Tokyo 200 m medley 2014 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke 2014 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley 2018 Tokyo 100 m backstroke 2018 Tokyo 4×100 m medley Commonwealth Games 2014 Glasgow 200 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 50 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 100 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 200 m backstroke 2018 Gold Coast 200 m medley 2018 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley 2022 Birmingham 4×100 m mixed medley 2014 Glasgow 100 m backstroke 2014 Glasgow 50 m backstroke 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m medley 2022 Birmingham 4×100 m medley Oceanian Championships 2010 Apia 200 m medley 2010 Apia 400 m medley 2010 Apia 200 m backstroke

Career

2014

Larkin won a gold medal in the 200 meter backstroke and a silver medal in both the 50 meter and 100 meter backstroke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

2015

He won two gold in the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia.

His personal best in long course events are 52.11 for the 100 meter backstroke^[5] and 1:53.17 for the 200 meter backstroke,^[6] both set at the Dubai world cup in November 2015.

In November 2015, Larkin broke the short course world record in the 200 meter backstroke, lowering it to 1:45.63.^[7]

2016

At the 2016 Summer Olympics swimming championships, Larkin represented Australia in the 100 metre and 200 metre backstroke and the 4 x 100 meter medley relay.^[8] In the 100 metre backstroke, Larkin was the third fastest in the heats with a time of 53.04 and third fastest out of the two second semi-final heats with a time of 52.70.

Despite only being three hundredths slower than his gold medal-winning time at the 2015 world championships, he missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the final with a time of 52.43.

Larkin set a record as the first swimmer to win every backstroke event and also the most gold medals for a swimmer at a single Commonwealth Games event. Five gold medals included 50 meter, 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke, as well as the 200 meter Individual Medley and 4 x 100 meter Medley.^[9]

International Swimming League

In 2019 he was a member of the inaugural International Swimming League representing the Cali Condors, who finished third place in the final match in Las Vegas, Nevada in December. Larkin was one of the top point scorers at each match for the Condors swimming backstroke, IM, and relays.^[10]

World records

Short course metres

No.	Event	Time	Meet	Location	Date	Status	Ref
1	200 m backstroke	1:45.63	Australian Championships (25m)	Sydney, Australia	27 November 2015	Current	[11]

Legend: OC – Oceanian record; NR – Australian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

See also

• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke