Thomas Rupprath

Thomas Rupprath (born 16 March 1977 in Neuss) is an Olympic swimmer from Germany, who is nicknamed "The New Albatross".

Thomas Rupprath

Personal information
Nationality	Germany
Born	(1977-03-16) 16 March 1977 (age 48) Neuss am Rhein, Nordrhein-Westfalen, West Germany
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke and butterfly
Club	SG Bayer Wuppertal
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Germany Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 1 1 World Championships (LC) 1 3 0 World Championships (SC) 1 3 1 European Championships (LC) 2 4 1 European Championships (SC) 26 11 4 Total 30 22 7 Olympic Games 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley World Championships (LC) 2003 Barcelona 50 m backstroke 2001 Fukuoka 50 m backstroke 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley 2007 Melbourne 50 m backstroke World Championships (SC) 2004 Indianapolis 50 m backstroke 2000 Athens 4×100 m medley 2004 Indianapolis 100 m medley 2006 Shanghai 50 m backstroke 2004 Indianapolis 100 m backstroke European Championships (LC) 2002 Berlin 50 m backstroke 2002 Berlin 100 m butterfly 1997 Seville 4×100 m medley 1999 Istanbul 50 m backstroke 2000 Helsinki 100 m butterfly 2002 Berlin 50 m butterfly 2002 Berlin 4×100 m medley European Championships (SC) 1996 Rostock 100 m butterfly 1998 Sheffield 50 m backstroke 1998 Sheffield 4×50 m medley 2000 Valencia 100 m butterfly 2000 Valencia 200 m butterfly 2000 Valencia 4×50 m medley 2001 Antwerp 100 m backstroke 2001 Antwerp 100 m butterfly 2001 Antwerp 4×50 m medley 2002 Riesa 50 m backstroke 2002 Riesa 100 m backstroke 2002 Riesa 100 m butterfly 2002 Riesa 4×50 m medley 2003 Dublin 50 m backstroke 2003 Dublin 100 m backstroke 2003 Dublin 4×50 m medley 2004 Vienna 50 m backstroke 2004 Vienna 100 m backstroke 2004 Vienna 100 m butterfly 2004 Vienna 4×50 m medley 2005 Trieste 50 m backstroke 2005 Trieste 100 m butterfly 2005 Trieste 4×50 m medley 2006 Helsinki 4×50 m medley 2007 Debrecen 50 m backstroke 2007 Debrecen 4×50 m medley 1996 Rostock 200 m butterfly 1999 Lisboa 200 m butterfly 1999 Lisboa 4×50 m medley 2003 Dublin 100 m butterfly 2004 Vienna 4×50 m freestyle 2006 Helsinki 50 m backstroke 2006 Helsinki 50 m butterfly 2007 Debrecen 100 m medley 2008 Rijeka 4×50 m medley 2009 Istanbul 50 m backstroke 2009 Istanbul 4×50 m medley 1998 Sheffield 200 m butterfly 2005 Trieste 100 m backstroke 2006 Helsinki 100 m backstroke 2007 Debrecen 4×50 m freestyle

Biography

He held the world record for the 50 m backstroke (short course) with a time of 23.27 seconds set on 31 November 2002. This was broken by Robert Hurley of Australia on 26 October 2008. He also held the 50 m backstroke (long course) record between 7 July 2003 to 2 April 2008 with a time of 24.80 s.

With a time of 54.16 over 100 m backstroke (second behind Helge Meeuw) Thomas Rupprath managed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing. He also won the 100 m butterfly at the German trials.

Achievements

Olympic Games

• Bronze medal in 2000 Sydney^[1]
• Silver medal in 2004 Athens^[2]

World championships

• Silver medal at 2007 Melbourne^[3]

World Championships SC

• Gold medal at 2004 Indianapolis^[4]
• Silver medal at 2000 Athens^[5]
• Silver medal at 2006 Shanghai^[6]

See also

• List of German records in swimming
• World record progression 50 metres backstroke
• World record progression 100 metres backstroke