24 Facts About Liam Tancock

Liam John Tancock was born on 7 May 1985 and is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, FINA world championships, and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games.

Liam Tancock is a three-time world champion and a four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and held the world record in the 50-metre backstroke for almost a decade.

Liam Tancock played for Exeter Chiefs rugby team as a winger until he was thirteen.

Liam Tancock attended Loughborough College where he studied sports science and was awarded with a degree validated by Loughborough University.

Liam Tancock broke four records and won more medals than any junior under the age of 16 had before him.

Liam Tancock followed this with a gold medal at the 2001 Youth Olympic Games.

Liam Tancock competed at a senior level for the first time in 2005 at the 2005 World Aquatic Championships, where he took the bronze medal in the 50m backstroke.

Liam Tancock won several medals at the 2008 World Short Course Championships in Manchester, including a British, European and Commonwealth record time of 50:14 to take the gold medal in the 100m backstroke.

Liam Tancock won silver in the 50m backstroke and 200m medley.

Liam Tancock competed in the 200m individual medley, finishing in 8th place with a time of 2:00.76.

Liam Tancock's preferred event, the 50m backstroke, is not an Olympic event.

Liam Tancock broke his own world record winning the gold medal for 50m backstroke at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.

Liam Tancock had set a time of 24.08 in the semi-finals, but improved it with a time of 24.04 in the final.

Liam Tancock wore a bodyskin swimsuit which was banned by FINA at the start of 2010.

Liam Tancock took a second Commonwealth gold in the 100m backstroke with a time of 53.59.

At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, Liam Tancock retained his world championship crown with a time of 24.5 seconds in the 50m backstroke.

Liam Tancock finished sixth in the 100m backstroke with a time of 52.76.

On 5 March 2012, Liam Tancock won the 100m backstroke final at the British trials with a time of 53.16 seconds in the event held at the London Aquatics Centre.

Liam Tancock pushed around his coach's car in order to improve his stamina and transfer his 50m backstroke form to the 100m event.

Liam Tancock achieved the World Championships qualifying time, but the team coach only chose swimmers who had a chance of being at Rio 2016.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Liam Tancock won bronze medals in the men's 50 metre backstroke and the 100 metre backstroke and helped England to win the 4 x 100 metre medley.

Liam Tancock is the younger of 2 boys born for mum Kim; his brother is 2 years older.

Liam Tancock is a supporter of Exeter City association football club, and Exeter Chiefs Rugby club Liam is trained as a level two swimming coach.

Liam Tancock has been in a relationship with fellow swimmer Caitlin McClatchey since 2006, and they were married in 2019.