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George BOVELL
Sport Swimming
NOC Trinidad & Tobago   
GenderMen
Born18 Jul 1983 in Guelph, CAN
Height1.96 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Higher education
 Building and Construction Engineering - Auburn University: United States
General Interest
Hobbies
 Spearfishing, free diving, underwater videography. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015)
Injuries
 In 2014 he suffered a bout of pneumonia. (swimswam.com, 07 Nov 2014)

In November 2004 he tore the posterior cruciate ligament [PCL] in his knee and required surgery. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015)
Famous relatives
 His younger brother Nicholas competed for Trinidad and Tobago in swimming at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. His sister Alex has competed in triathlon at international level. His mother Barbara [Bishop] competed in the 400m and 4x400m relay in athletics for Barbados at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. His father George was a swimmer who was named the 1969 Trinidad and Tobago Sportsman of the Year. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015; sports-reference.com, 2012; guardian.co.tt, 25 May 2017)
Awards and honours
 He was named the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Swimming Association [ASA] Male Athlete of the Year in 2015. (swimswam.com, 15 Jan 2016)

He was named Trinidad and Tobago Sportsman of the Year by the First Citizens Sports Foundation in 2004 and 2014. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015)

He was named Sports Personality of the Year by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee in 2013 and 2014. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015)

He was Trinidad and Tobago's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. (xinhuanet.com, 08 Aug 2008)

He was named Athlete of the Year by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee in 2003 and 2004. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
 He learned to swim in the sea and in his grandmother's pool from a young age. He began swimming competitively at age seven.
Further Personal Information
Languages
 English
General Interest
Other information
 RETIREMENT
He retired from competitive swimming after the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (trinidadexpress.com, 23 Jul 2018)

NATIONAL FIRSTS
He won Trinidad and Tobago's first medal in swimming at the Olympic Games when he claimed bronze in the 200m individual medley at the 2004 Games in Athens. He also won his nation's first medal at both the short and long course world championships when he took bronze in the 100m individual medley at the 2012 World Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, and bronze in the 50m freestyle at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain. (sportarchivestt.com, 2015; SportsDeskOnline, 03 Aug 2013; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 17 Jun 2013)

CAR ACCIDENT
In August 2011 he was involved in a car accident after a training session. He suffered concussion and lacerations to his forehead and ankle when his car collided with a truck near Mayaro, Trinidad and Tobago. He returned to competition in November 2011. (guardian.co.tt, 08 Dec 2011; newsday.co.tt, 20 Aug 2011)
Sporting philosophy / motto
 "It takes courage to get beyond courage." (Twitter profile, 08 Jul 2018)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 50m Freestyle 22.30
  2012 London, ENG 100m Freestyle DNS
7 2012 London, ENG 50m Freestyle 21.82 
29 2012 London, ENG 100m Backstroke 55.22
Heats 2008 Beijing, CHN 100m Freestyle 48.83
Semifinal 2008 Beijing, CHN 50m Freestyle 21.86
3 2004 Athens, GRE 200m Individual Medley 1:58.80 
Semifinal 2004 Athens, GRE 200m Freestyle 1:49.59
11 2004 Athens, GRE 100m Freestyle 49.53 
84 2004 Athens, GRE 50m Freestyle DNS
Heats 2000 Sydney, NSW, AUS 400m Individual Medley 4:29.52
Heats 2000 Sydney, NSW, AUS 200m Individual Medley 2:04.68
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2013 Barcelona, ESP 50m Freestyle 21.51
7 2011 Shanghai, CHN 50m Freestyle 22.04
Heat 2009 Rome, ITA 100m Freestyle 48.82
7 2009 Rome, ITA 50m Freestyle 21.51
Heats 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 100m Freestyle 50.55
Heats 2007 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 50m Freestyle 22.64
5 2003 Barcelona, ESP 200m Individual Medley 2:00.06
Semifinal 2003 Barcelona, ESP 200m Freestyle 1:49.64
4 2001 Fukuoka, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:01.50
  2001 Fukuoka, JPN 100m Freestyle  DNS
  2001 Fukuoka, JPN 200m Backstroke  DNS
20 2001 Fukuoka, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:50.72
18 2001 Fukuoka, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:30.22
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2012 Istanbul, TUR 100m Individual Medley 51.66
4 2012 Istanbul, TUR 50m Freestyle 21.03
4 2010 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 51.97
Semifinal 2010 Dubai, UAE 50m Freestyle 21.33
8 2008 Manchester, ENG 100m Individual Medley 54.03
Heats 2008 Manchester, ENG 100m Freestyle  DNS
Semifinal 2008 Manchester, ENG 50m Freestyle 21.77
13 2002 Moscow, RUS 100m Individual Medley 55.71
14 2002 Moscow, RUS 200m Freestyle 1:47.62
7 2002 Moscow, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:58.71
Pan American Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
7 2007 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Freestyle 50.16
3 2007 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 50m Freestyle 22.36
2 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 100m Backstroke 55.81
1 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 200m Individual Medley 1:59.49 CR
2 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 100m Freestyle 49.61
1 2003 Santo Domingo, DOM 200m Freestyle 1:48.90
World Cup Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
13 2014   Overall  
2 2014 Beijing, CHN 50m Breaststroke 26.91
2 2014 Beijing, CHN 100m Individual Medley 52.43
4 2014 Beijing, CHN 50m Freestyle 21.40
1 2014 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 52.80
2 2014 Doha, QAT 50m Freestyle 21.43
1 2014 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 51.79
2 2014 Dubai, UAE 50m Freestyle 21.31
3 2014 Singapore, SGP 50m Breaststroke 26.81
1 2014 Singapore, SGP 50m Freestyle 21.37
4 2014 Tokyo, JPN 50m Breaststroke 26.85
5 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 52.89
2 2014 Tokyo, JPN 50m Freestyle 21.42
9 2013   Overall  
2 2013 Beijing, CHN 100m Individual Medley 51.72
4 2013 Beijing, CHN 50m Freestyle 21.19
3 2013 Berlin, GER 100m Individual Medley 51.65
4 2013 Berlin, GER 50m Freestyle 21.19
3 2013 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 51.87
4 2013 Doha, QAT 50m Freestyle 21.31
2 2013 Dubai, UAE 50m Freestyle 21.32
3 2013 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 52.38
1 2013 Eindhoven, NED 100m Individual Medley 51.15
3 2013 Eindhoven, NED 50m Freestyle 21.00
3 2013 Moscow, RUS 100m Individual Medley 52.88
3 2013 Moscow, RUS 50m Freestyle 21.49
4 2013 Singapore, SGP 50m Breaststroke 26.86
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 51.75
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 50m Freestyle 21.20
2 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 51.65
3 2013 Tokyo, JPN 50m Freestyle 21.21
2 2012   Overall  
1 2012 Berlin, GER 100m Individual Medley 51.20
2 2012 Berlin, GER 50m Freestyle 20.97
2 2012 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 51.87
2 2012 Doha, QAT 50m Freestyle 21.06
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 52.19
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 50m Freestyle 21.23
2 2012 Moscow, RUS 100m Individual Medley 51.81
1 2012 Moscow, RUS 50m Freestyle 20.90
1 2012 Stockholm, SWE 100m Individual Medley 51.56
1 2012 Stockholm, SWE 50m Freestyle 20.82
2 2003/2004 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Freestyle 48.81
1 2003/2004 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Individual Medley 54.35
1 2003/2004 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Individual Medley 1:57.57