Lauren Marie Boyle MNZM (born 14 December 1987) is a former competitive swimmer from New Zealand. She has competed at three Commonwealth Games and three Olympic Games.[1]

Lauren Boyle
Boyle in 2020
Personal information
Full nameLauren Marie Boyle
Born (1987-12-14) 14 December 1987 (age 36)
Auckland, New Zealand
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportSwimming
EventFreestyle
College teamUniversity of California, Berkeley
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing New Zealand
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships (LC) 0 2 3
World Championships (SC) 1 0 1
Pan Pacific Championships 0 2 1
Commonwealth Games 1 2 1
Summer Universiade 2 2 1
Total 4 8 7
World Championships (LC)
Silver medal – second place 2015 Kazan 800 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2015 Kazan 1500 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Barcelona 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Barcelona 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Barcelona 1500 m freestyle
World Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2012 Istanbul 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Istanbul 400 m freestyle
Pan Pacific Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014 Gold Coast 800 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2014 Gold Coast 1500 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Gold Coast 400 m freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2014 Glasgow 400m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 4×200m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow 800m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne 4×200m freestyle
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shenzhen 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shenzhen 800 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shenzhen 200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shenzhen 4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Shenzhen 1500 m freestyle

Career

edit

Boyle won a bronze medal with Helen Norfolk, Alison Fitch and Melissa Ingram in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

At the 2008 Olympic Games she was a member of the New Zealand 4 × 200 m freestyle relay team which was disqualified in the heats.

She won a silver medal with Penelope Marshall, Amaka Gessler and Natasha Hind in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, Boyle was fourth fastest in the heats of the 400m freestyle in a New Zealand record 4:03.63. In the final she finished 8th. In the 800m heats she swam 8:25.91, also a New Zealand record, qualifying fifth fastest for the final. In the final she swam another record of 8:22.72 to finish fourth, 2.40 seconds from the bronze medal which went to defending champion and world record holder Rebecca Adlington.

 
Boyle (black cap) and Jessica Ashwood (yellow cap) at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships

In August 2013, Boyle claimed three medals at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, becoming only the second New Zealander to achieve this feat (after Danyon Loader in 1994).[2]

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Boyle won gold in the 400m freestyle and a silver medal in the 800m freestyle. She also finished fourth in the final of the 200m freestyle after breaking the New Zealand record in the heats.[3] In the 400 m freestyle, she set a new Games record in the final.[4]

At the Wellington Winter Short Course meet in August 2014 Boyle broke the World Short Course record in the women's 1500m freestyle with a time of 15:22.68.[5]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Boyle was 14th fastest in the semi-finals of the 400 m freestyle, and did not make the final.[6] In the 800 m freestyle, she was 0.29 of a second off making the final.

Boyle is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. She announced her retirement from competitive swimming on 1 August 2017 due to ongoing injury problems.

In the 2020 New Year Honours, Boyle was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to swimming.[7]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Lauren Boyle". Olympic.org.nz. New Zealand Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Lauren Boyle takes record third medal at FINA World Swimming Championships in Barcelona," 3news, 4 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  3. ^ Lauren Boyle misses the medals in 200m free stuff.co.nz, 25 July 2014
  4. ^ "Glasgow 2014 – Women's 400m Freestyle Final". g2014results.thecgf.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  5. ^ Swimmer Lauren Boyle sets new world record stuff.co.nz, 9 August 2014
  6. ^ "Rio 2016 400m freestyle women – Olympic Swimming". International Olympic Committee. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  7. ^ "New Year honours list 2020". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
edit
Records
Preceded by Women's 1500 metre freestyle
world record holder (short course)

9 August 2014 – 12 December 2014
Succeeded by

Mireia Belmonte