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Thomas FRASER-HOLMES
Sport Open Water Swimming
NOC Australia   
GenderMen
Born09 Oct 1991 in Newcastle, AUS
Height1.94 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Commerce - Griffith University: Gold Coast, QLD, AUS
Occupation
Coach
General Interest
Nicknames
Tommy, Tom (Facebook profile, 10 May 2020; Twitter profile, 28 Nov 2018)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"I definitely see myself as a world champion, and you have to have that mentality to go anywhere in this sport. But I am more the person who has a strong inner belief, and I let my swimming do the talking." (smh.com.au, 12 Jul 2019)
Other information
INJURY FORCES MEDLEY DROP
He dropped the individual medley while preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to a persistent shoulder injury that affected him in 2020 and 2021. Scans revealed that he had a "significant rift" in his subscapularis [shoulder muscle], due to years of wear and tear. He declined surgery due to its potential impact on his preparation for the Games. "If you try to swim like I was trying to do later last year [in 2020], you'll be in a worse position and won't go to [Olympic] trials. But if you follow the surgical route, you won't be in time for the competition, so this was my only option. It's a very important muscle for swimmers and it's like a hamstring for soccer players. I swim in the 200m freestyle and don't use medley with the other strokes for my shoulders. So we bit the bullet, even though I'm used to having multiple events." (sydneynewstoday.com, 13 Apr 2021)

CONSIDERING QUITTING
In December 2017 he began training alone during his 12-month suspension after missing three doping tests in a year. He considered quitting the sport, but began working with Griffith University coach Michael Bohl in 2018. "When it all happened in 2017, there was that feeling of what next? Do I retire, do I take some time off then come back? I knew fairly quickly I didn't want to retire on a negative note. And if I kept going, you can't do things half-hearted. I wanted to keep swimming for my reasons, to come back for a third Olympics [in Tokyo] and get something I don't have, which is an Olympic medal. Before I got back in the pool, I made sure I knew exactly what I could and couldn't do. I couldn't swim in a squad with an accredited coach, and I couldn't train at the same time as a squad. So I trained in the public lane." (brisbanetimes.com.au, 12 Jul 2019; thewest.com.au, 08 Jun 2019; newcastleherald.com.au, 24 May 2019)

COACHING
He offers swimming lessons and programmes through TFH Coaching in Australia. He has also worked as a coach at Why Not Me Swim Clinics, an initiative run by current and ex-Australian swimmers for beginners in the sport. In 2021 he joined the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS] Elevate to Coach programme. "It's exciting to transition into coaching. I'm committed to learning the art of coaching. Just because you've been a successful athlete doesn't mean you have mastered the craft, I'm excited to perfect that. I've had some incredible coaches over my athletic career, so I am enthusiastic to use the knowledge I learnt from them as well as the knowledge I observed at international meets." (TFH Coaching Facebook page, 17 Sep 2021; swimming.org.au, 16 Sep 2021; Why Not Me Swim Clinics Facebook page, 22 Feb 2021)

SANCTION
In June 2017 he received a 12-month suspension from the International Swimming Federation [FINA] after he missed three doping tests in a year. He was eligible to return to competition in June 2018. (theaustralian.com.au, 03 Jul 2018; swimswam.com, 07 Jun 2018; smh.com.au, 08 Jun 2017)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
He took up the sport because he enjoyed going to the beach, and his sister was already a swimmer.
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began swimming at age five.
General Interest
Awards and honours
In 2014 he was named Oceania/Australia Male Swimmer of the Year by swimming news website SwimSwam as part of its Swammy Awards. (swimswam.com, 21 Dec 2014)
Further Personal Information
Languages
English
General Interest
Injuries
In 2020 and 2021 he suffered from persistent pain due to wear and tear in his shoulder muscle [subscapularis]. He was offered surgery but declined, due to its potential impact on his preparation for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. (sydneynewstoday.com, 13 Apr 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
Griffith University: Australia
Name of coach
Michael Bohl [club], AUS
Further Personal Information
Residence
Gold Coast, QLD, AUS
General Interest
Hobbies
Supporting Australian rugby league club Newcastle Knights. (newcastleherald.com.au, 24 May 2019)
Famous relatives
His partner Jessica Eriksson has competed for Sweden in swimming, including at the short course world and European championships. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jan 2021; ec2018results.com, 01 Sep 2018)
Further Personal Information
Family
Partner Jessica Eriksson

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
6 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 400m Individual Medley 4:11.90
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Individual Medley  DNS
Semifinal 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Freestyle 1:46.24
4 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:04.18
7 2012 London, ENG 200m Freestyle 1:46.93 
5 2012 London, ENG 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:07.00
7 2012 London, ENG 400m Individual Medley 4:13.49 
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Semifinal 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Individual Medley 1:58.86
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 400m Individual Medley 4:16.93
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:15.93
Semifinal 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:58.83
3 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:05.34
8 2013 Barcelona, ESP 400m Individual Medley 4:17.46
8 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Freestyle 1:47.11
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:18.49
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:48.86
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 400m Freestyle 3:50.71
5 2011 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:08.48
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:02.74
5 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 6:53.05
5 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2019 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 2:00.22
7 2019 Berlin, GER 200m Individual Medley 2:04.68
3 2019 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 1:59.71
4 2019 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 2:00.28
5 2019 Budapest, HUN 400m Individual Medley 4:20.61
3 2019 Jinan, CHN 400m Freestyle 3:54.20
3 2019 Jinan, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:00.29
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:20.50
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:26.61
4 2019 Singapore, SGP 200m Backstroke 2:02.35
3 2019 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:59.98
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 400m Individual Medley 4:17.14
2 2019 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:48.69
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:26.45
2 2019 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:00.00
1 2019 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:24.89
4 2014   Overall  
1 2014 Doha, QAT 400m Freestyle 3:39.30
1 2014 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 4:00.39
1 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Freestyle 1:41.92
1 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:53.92
1 2014 Dubai, UAE 400m Individual Medley 3:58.69
1 2014 Dubai, UAE 400m Freestyle 3:38.22
1 2014 Dubai, UAE 200m Freestyle 1:42.54
2 2014 Dubai, UAE 200m Individual Medley 1:53.77
1 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:03.02
4 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Freestyle 48.06
1 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 400m Freestyle 3:41.01
1 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:53.58
1 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:43.59
1 2014 Moscow, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:02.31
1 2014 Moscow, RUS 400m Freestyle 3:40.59
1 2014 Moscow, RUS 200m Freestyle 1:42.98
2 2014 Moscow, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:53.13
2 2014 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:04.03
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 400m Freestyle 3:41.30
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:43.01
11 2013   Overall  
1 2013 Beijing, CHN 400m Freestyle 3:39.86
1 2013 Beijing, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:43.09
1 2013 Beijing, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:04.05
1 2013 Singapore, SGP 400m Individual Medley 4:01.98
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 400m Freestyle 3:38.92
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:42.47
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:54.60
3 2013 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:34.78
2 2013 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 3:59.92
1 2013 Tokyo, JPN 400m Freestyle 3:38.39
1 2013 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:42.56