Craig Benson (swimmer)

Craig Benson

Benson in 2013
Personal information
Full name Craig Benson
National team  Great Britain
Born (1994-04-30) 30 April 1994
Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb; 12.0 st)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
Club University of Stirling
Coach Ben Higson

Craig Benson (born 30 April 1994) is a Scottish competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain at the Olympics and European Short Course Championships.[1][2]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the men's 100-metre breaststroke, finishing in sixth place in the second semifinal, failing to reach the final. He also swam in the heats of the men's 4x100-metre medley relay. He was the youngest member of the Great Britain swimming squad at these Olympics.[3]

In 2011 Benson, at 17 years old, was selected for the 2011 European Junior Swimming Championships in Belgrade, where he won a silver medal in the 100-metre breaststroke,[4] was fourth in the 50-metre breaststroke, and also a member of the fourth-place 4x100-metre medley relay.[5]

A few weeks later Benson won the World Junior men's championship for the 100-metre breaststroke at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Lima, Peru in 2011 and was second in the 50-metre breaststroke. He holds the world junior men's record for the 100-metre breaststroke.[6][7]

Benson then won the 50-metre, 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke and won silver in the 4x100-metre medley relay at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games on the Isle of Man.[8][7] and was named Athlete of the Games.[9]

Benson, won a bronze medal at the 2012 European Junior Swimming Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, 0.04 of a second behind the winner, Olympic swimmer Dănilă Artiomov.[2] He also swam in the 2012 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Chartres, France, and was part of the medley relay squad that broke the British record.[10]

He was awarded the Sunday Mail Young Sports Personality of the Year award in 2012.[11]

In 2013 he was swimming for Warrender Baths Club[12] under coaches Laurel Bailey and Kris Gilchrist.[13][12] Benson was fourth in the 100m breatstrolke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[14] Benson moved to the University of Stirling with a sports scholarship following the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[15] He now studies and resides in the City.

At the 2015 World University Games, Benson won two bronze medals in the 100- and 200-metre breastroke events. He also won the 200-metre breaststroke at the US Open Championships, beating Michael Phelps in the process.

References

  1. ↑ "Craig Benson". London2012.com. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 Chris Tait, "Craig Benson could soon be living his dream", The Herald (24 July 2012). Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Alistair Watson, "Swimming sensation Craig Benson makes Olympic debut in London", The West Lothian Courier (2 August 2012). Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Craig Lord, "Craig Benson", The Times (7 March 2012). Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Successful European campaign for Warrender", SwimEasy (7 December 2011). Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "FINA World Junior Championships: Several More Meet Records Fall on Day Two". Swimming World Magazine. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  7. 1 2 Craig Benson's Profile Page, Scottish Swimming. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Competitor Details, Craig Benson, Commonwealth Youth Games 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Craig Benson named Athlete of the Games at Commonwealth Games Dinner", Scottish Swimming. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay Heats Results". Omega Timing. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  11. ↑ Gordon Waddell, "Sunday Mail Sports Awards: London 2012 stars win standing ovation at inspirational ceremony", The Daily Record (9 December 2012). Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Swimming: No hangover for Benson as he follows path of a legend", The Herald (10 April 2013). Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Craig Benson". Team GB. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Commonwealth Games - Swimming: Men's 100m Breaststroke". BBC Sports. UK: BBC. 2014. Retrieved 9 Aug 2015.
  15. ↑ "Stirling scholarships brimming with sporting excellence". University of Stirling. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
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