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| Kathleen
BAKER |
| Sport |
Swimming |
| NOC |
United States
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 28 Feb 1997
in Winston-Salem, NC, USA |
| Height | 1.73 m |
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Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
Team Elite Aquatics: San Diego, CA, USA |
General Interest |
Famous relatives |
Her mother Kimberley and her older sister Rachel competed in swimming at university level in the United States of America. Her partner Sean Dowling played American football for Vanderbilt University. (swimswm.com, 19 Jul 2021; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 07 Oct 2018; usaswimming.org, 2014) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
"My mum wouldn't let me go off the diving board unless I swam, so if I could swim then I could go off the diving board. I then started swimming over the summer because my sister did it." |
Name of coach |
David Marsh [club], USA |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Other information |
TURNING PROFESSIONAL
She gave up her final season at the University of California, Berkeley and turned professional in August 2018. "It's definitely been amazing [turning pro] and I love it so far but it's a huge adjustment at the same time. I don't spend time with 20-something girls at my age every single day and that's definitely something new. I always have been told that it's lonely when you turn pro and I definitely think there is a lonely aspect to it but also a really exciting aspect to it. I mean this is my career and what I get to focus on, [and] I don't have a lot of school or anything really weighing me down and I have a lot of freedom to focus on swimming. That's something I love." (SwimSwam YouTube channel, 21 Feb 2019)
CROHN'S DISEASE
At age nine she was found to have Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel condition. She tried a number of treatments to help control the disease, and has developed a routine that focuses on medication and diet to keep her body healthy. In 2016 she began serving as an ambassador for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, volunteering at events in United States of America and helping to spread awareness though public speaking and social media. "I could never have trained and competed at the level I have the past few years if I hadn't been properly diagnosed and treated. Crohn's is a disease a lot of people have heard of but don't understand. I want to change that in every way I can." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 20 Aug 2020; LinkedIn profile, 01 Jan 2019; excellesports.com, 24 Oct 2017; usaswimming.org, 11 Nov 2016; nytimes.com, 15 Jul 2016) |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
Health Studies - University of California, Berkeley: United States |
General Interest |
Awards and honours |
In 2021 she was named among the Top 100 Greatest College Swimmers and Divers by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America [CSCAA]. (cscaa.org, 09 Nov 2021)
She received the 2018 Phillips 66 Performance of the Year Award from USA Swimming. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 29 Sep 2018)
She was presented with the Female Race of the Year award at the 2018 Golden Goggles Awards in recognition of her world record setting performance in the 100m backstroke at the 2018 US National Championships in Irvine, California. (pulseroll.com, 21 Nov 2018)
While swimming for the University of California, Berkeley, she was named the 2017 College Swimming Coaches Association of America [CSCAA] National Swimmer of the Year. (calbears.com, 30 Jul 2017)
She was presented with the key to the city in Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America, in recognition of her performance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (calbears.com, 30 Jul 2017) |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began swimming competitively in 2005. |
General Interest |
Ambitions |
To win a gold medal in an individual event at the world championships. (USA Swimming YouTube channel, 08 Apr 2019) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"It's really important to trust the process. A lot of that has to do with believing in yourself and having fun." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 07 Oct 2018) |
Hobbies |
Baking. (usaswimming.org, 08 Apr 2019) |
Injuries |
In May 2021 she fractured a bone in her foot in a walking accident. (bbc.co.uk, 15 Jun 2021)
She suffered from a broken rib in April 2019, which sidelined her for seven weeks. (SwimSwam YouTube channel, 21 Nov 2019)
She had pneumonia and suffered from a concussion in 2019. (olympics.nbcsports.com, 05 Mar 2021) |
Most influential person in career |
Her parents, and coach David Marsh. (usaswimming.org, 26 Oct 2021) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Partner Sean |
Residence |
United States |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 2 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
100m Backstroke |
58.75 |
| 1 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
|
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| Semifinal |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
200m Backstroke |
2:09.68 |
| 6 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
50m Backstroke |
27.69 |
| 6 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
100m Backstroke |
59.56 |
| 3 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
200m Backstroke |
2:06.48 |
| 2 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
100m Backstroke |
58.58 |
| 5 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
50m Backstroke |
27.50 |
| 1 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:51.55 |
| 8 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
100m Backstroke |
59.99 |
| 4 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
|
World Championships Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 5 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
100m Individual Medley |
58.47 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
200m Backstroke |
2:00.79 |
| 5 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
100m Backstroke |
56.89 |
| Semifinal |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
50m Backstroke |
26.76 |
| 3 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
200m Individual Medley |
2:05.54 |
| 1 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
|
| 1 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
4 x 50m Medley Relay |
|
| Heats |
2014 |
Doha, QAT |
200m Backstroke |
2:04.99 |
| 6 |
2014 |
Doha, QAT |
100m Backstroke |
57.07 |
| 5 |
2014 |
Doha, QAT |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:39.48 |
| 2 |
2014 |
Doha, QAT |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
|
| Heats |
2014 |
Doha, QAT |
4 x 100m Medley Relay |
3:56.39 |
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 13 |
2018 |
|
Overall Ranking |
|
| 2 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
200m Backstroke |
2:00.69 |
| 3 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
100m Individual Medley |
58.02 |
| 4 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
50m Backstroke |
26.30 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
100m Backstroke |
56.04 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
1:30.63 |
| 1 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
200m Backstroke |
2:00.85 |
| 1 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
100m Backstroke |
55.91 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
100m Individual Medley |
58.14 |
| 6 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
50m Backstroke |
26.44 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
1:30.88 |
| 51 |
2014 |
|
Overall |
|
| 5 |
2014 |
Singapore, SGP |
100m Butterfly |
58.58 |
| 2 |
2014 |
Singapore, SGP |
200m Backstroke |
2:04.25 |
| 6 |
2014 |
Singapore, SGP |
100m Backstroke |
59.07 |
| 4 |
2014 |
Singapore, SGP |
400m Freestyle |
4:05.57 |
| 5 |
2014 |
Singapore, SGP |
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay |
1:39.36 |
| 5 |
2014 |
Tokyo, JPN |
200m Backstroke |
2:05.69 |
| 6 |
2014 |
Tokyo, JPN |
100m Backstroke |
57.79 |
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