Brenton Scott Rickard[1] (born 19 October 1983) is a retired breaststroke swimmer from Australia.[2] He emerged at the international level in 2006, swimming at the Commonwealth games. He has captured multiple Olympic and World Championship medals, as well as world and Commonwealth records. During this period he was coached by Vince Raleigh.

Brenton Rickard
Personal information
Full nameBrenton Scott Rickard
National team Australia
Born (1983-10-19) 19 October 1983 (age 41)
Brisbane, Queensland
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight92 kg (203 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
ClubBrothers
CoachVince Raleigh
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing Australia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London 4×100 m medley
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rome 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2007 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Rome 4×100 m medley
World Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2006 Shanghai 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2004 Indianapolis 50 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2004 Indianapolis 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2004 Indianapolis 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2004 Indianapolis 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2006 Shanghai 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2006 Shanghai 200 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Dubai 200 m breaststroke
Pan Pacific Championships
Silver medal – second place 2006 Victoria 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 200 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Victoria 4×100 m medley
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2006 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 50 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne 50 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 100 m breaststroke

In 2009, he was Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year.[3]

Olympic Games

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He arrived in Beijing as a medal contender and a serious threat for the gold medal in all three of his events. He set Australian, Commonwealth and Oceanic records, capturing silver medals in the 200-metre breaststroke and 4×100-metre medley relay, and finished 5th in the 100-metre breaststroke.

  • Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China:
    •   200-metre breaststroke.
    •   4×100-metre medley relay.
    • (5th) 100-metre breaststroke.

FINA World Championships

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Rickard's first World Championships were a good one, consistently capturing medals in all of his pet events. No Australian records were set, however his status in the world rankings leapfrogged.

In the final of the 100-metre breaststroke, Rickard won the gold medal and surpassed the old world record of 58.91 held by Kosuke Kitajima with a time of 58.58.[4]

Career best times

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Long Course Personal bests
Event Time Record
50 m breaststroke 26.95 Former AUS Record Holder
100 m breaststroke 58.58 AUS Record Holder
200 m breaststroke 2:07.89
Short Course Personal bests
Event Time Record
50m Breaststroke 26.62 Former AUS Record Holder
100m Breaststroke 57.79 Former AUS Record Holder
200m Breaststroke 2:04.33

Doping Allegations

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In 2020, the IOC began proceedings in the Court of Arbitration of Sport to void Rickard's results from the 2012 London Olympics[5] after his urine samples from that competition tested positive for furosemide, a banned diuretic. If the IOC's findings are upheld, six Australian swimmers were to be stripped of their bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m medley,[6] in which Rickard swam the breaststroke leg of the heat. The proceedings were withdrawn on August 24, 2021.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Results – Tuesday 5 October". BBC Sport. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  2. ^ "Brenton Rickard – Biography". Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  3. ^ Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Rickard sets 1st world record of Day 2". The Associated Press. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.[dead link]
  5. ^ Sport, Guardian (6 November 2020). "Brenton Rickard: Australian Olympic swimmer reveals positive drugs test eight years after London Games". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Australia has never lost an Olympic medal to drugs. That might be about to change". 7 November 2020.
  7. ^ "IOC drops doping case against Australian swimmer Brenton Rickard". ABC News. 24 August 2021.
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Records
Preceded by Men's 100-metre breaststroke
world record-holder
(long course)

27 July 2009 – 29 July 2012
Succeeded by
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Australian Athlete of the Year
2009 (with Emma Moffatt)
Succeeded by