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Belinda HOCKING
Sport Swimming
NOC Australia   
GenderWomen
Born14 Sep 1990 in Wangaratta, AUS
Height1.67 m
Weight 57 kg
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Residence
Melbourne, VIC, AUS
Higher education
Public Relations - Monash University: Melbourne, VIC, AUS
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
She was advised to take up swimming to helped her deal with her asthma.
General Interest
Hero / Idol
US swimmer Michael Phelps. (swimmingaustralia.com.au, 14 Jul 2010)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She took up swimming at age four at a learn to swim class in Wangaratta, VIC, Australia.
International Debut
Year
2008
Competing for
Australia
Tournament
Olympic Games
Location
Beijing, CHN
General Interest
Nicknames
Bindy (Swimming Australia, 14 Jul 2008)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"If it is meant to be, it will be." (rio2016.olympics.com.au, 12 Aug 2016)
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Student
Languages
English
General Interest
Injuries
She underwent shoulder surgery in mid-2015. (yasstribune.com.au, 08 Sep 2016)

She dislocated her knee in 2015. (couriermail.com.au, 24 Feb 2015)

She suffered second degree burns and had plastic surgery on three of her fingers after accidentally setting them alight in 2015. (couriermail.com.au, 24 Feb 2015)
Other information
RETIREMENT
She announced her retirement from competitive swimming in March 2017. (abc.net.au, 03 Mar 2017)

ACCIDENTS
She took a break from swimming in early 2015 to late 2015 after several personal accidents including setting herself on fire. She was studying in her room when a candle caught her jumper. "I thought I put the flames out and for some stupid reason I padded my jumper and my fingers caught alight and the material melted onto three of my fingers." Weeks after the fire incident she was involved in a car accident where she banged her head after crashing her car into the back of a truck. "When I crashed the car it scared me, I just needed to take some time off to rest and recover. I just needed to rejuvenate myself and be ready to come back and swim fast." (rio2016.olympics.com.au, 12 Aug 2016; couriermail.com.au, 24 Feb 2015)

TATTOO
She said she did not focus enough on her preparation in the build-up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where she did not reach the finals. She changed her approach and started living by the Japanese motto 'Kaizen', which she had tattooed on her arm. It reminds her to continue to focus on improving and training. (dailytelegraph.com.au, 04 Aug 2013)

OTHER STUDIES
In 2015 she began studying primary education at Deakin University in Geelong, VIC, Australia. (rio2016.olympics.com.au, 12 Aug 2016)
Most influential person in career
Coach Rohan Taylor. (rio2016.olympics.com.au, 12 Aug 2016)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
5 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Backstroke 2:08.02
10 2012 London, ENG 200m Backstroke 2:09.35
7 2012 London, ENG 100m Backstroke 59.29 
8 2008 Beijing, CHN 200m Backstroke 2:10.12
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Backstroke 2:06.66
8 2013 Barcelona, ESP 100m Backstroke 1:00.29
Heats 2013 Barcelona, ESP 50m Backstroke 28.80
2 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Backstroke 2:06.06
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 50m Backstroke 28.92
6 2011 Shanghai, CHN 100m Backstroke 59.53
3 2011 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:57.13
Semifinal 2009 Rome, ITA 200m Backstroke 2:09.77
Heat 2009 Rome, ITA 100m Backstroke 1:00.90
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
6 2008 Manchester, ENG 50m Backstroke 26.94
5 2008 Manchester, ENG 100m Backstroke 57.87
2 2008 Manchester, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
World Cup Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
8 2013 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 28.37
2 2013 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 2:01.89
4 2013 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 57.64
4 2013 Doha, QAT 200m Backstroke 2:06.19
7 2013 Doha, QAT 50m Backstroke 28.07
5 2013 Doha, QAT 100m Backstroke 59.06
6 2013 Dubai, UAE 100m Backstroke 59.29
7 2013 Dubai, UAE 50m Backstroke 28.09
4 2013 Dubai, UAE 200m Backstroke 2:05.45
1 2013 Dubai, UAE 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:42.31
4 2013 Eindhoven, NED 50m Backstroke 27.04
2 2013 Eindhoven, NED 200m Backstroke 2:02.13
3 2013 Eindhoven, NED 100m Backstroke 57.38
19 2011   Overall  
2 2011 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 27.02
2 2011 Berlin, GER 50m Breaststroke 27.02
2 2011 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 2:01.24
2 2011 Stockholm, SWE 50m Backstroke 27.08
2 2011 Stockholm, SWE 100m Backstroke 57.78
1 2011 Stockholm, SWE 200m Backstroke 2:05.76
13 2010   Overall  
1 2010 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 26.99
1 2010 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 2:03.99
2 2010 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 58.23
1 2010 Stockholm, SWE 200m Backstroke 2:03.43
1 2010 Stockholm, SWE 50m Backstroke 27.42
1 2010 Stockholm, SWE 100m Backstroke 58.13
2 2009 Stockholm, SWE 200m Backstroke 2:03.07
3 2008 Sydney, NSW, AUS 200m Backstroke 2:07.90
2 2008 Sydney, NSW, AUS 100m Backstroke 58.69
3 2007 Sydney, NSW, AUS 100m Backstroke 58.73