< back
Mitch LARKIN
Sport Swimming
NOC Australia   
GenderMen
Born09 Jul 1993 in Buderim, AUS
Height1.88 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Higher education
 Engineering - Queensland University of Technology: Brisbane, QLD, AUS
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
 He became involved with the sport when his third grade school teacher encouraged him to join the weekly school swimming club.
General Interest
Hero / Idol
 US Swimmer Aaron Peirsol. (results.gc2018.com, 01 Oct 2017)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
 He began swimming at age eight.
Further Personal Information
Occupation
 Analyst, Athlete
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto
 "You need to love what you do, since when you love what you do, then you never work a day in your life, which is how I feel sometimes. It's about finding elements of the sport that you love and harnessing them as much as you can." (digitaljournal.com, 04 Dec 2019)
Other information
 EVENT FOCUS
In 2021 he said that he would prefer to focus on one event rather than compete in both the 200m backstroke and the 200m individual medley. But, as of April 2021, he was still training for both. "I would rather focus on one event and do it well than two events and do them average." (stateofswimming.com, 17 Apr 2021)

REDUCED VISION
He is short-sighted but does not swim with the aid of contact lenses. "I'm short-sighted [myopic], so backstroke flags are fine but anything outside of five metres becomes quite blurry. I often touch the wall and don't know my time or position so I sometimes have to ask. Slowly, my eyes are getting a lot worse." However, he believes his vision can also help him remain focused at major events. "I don't get distracted by the crowd because I can't really see it. The 2015 Kazan world championships was a massive crowd. The 2016 Rio Olympics, same thing. I could just stay focused on what I could see which was what's around me, in the five meter radius." (fina.org, 30 Oct 2018)

COMMONWEALTH COMEBACK
He had questioned his swimming future after failing to win an individual medal at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, but made a comeback after winning five gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. "I was very low [after Budapest], my confidence was at an absolute low. I've got a lot of pride in the way I swim and in some ways I was embarrassed in representing myself on that world stage [in 2017] and not doing my country proud. It [winning five gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games] certainly sparked my confidence again and I love the way I'm swimming and it's fantastic." (goldcoastbulletin.com.au, 11 Apr 2018)

OCCUPATION
In January 2021 he began working as a property analyst in Brisbane, QLD, Australia. "I am very pleased to announce that I have been given the opportunity to work with one of Australia's leading property-based fund managers called Trilogy Funds. They have given me the opportunity to gain some experience in the role of assistant property analyst, a career path I want to explore post-swimming. This opportunity was too good to turn down as they are extremely supportive of my sporting commitments, whilst gaining experience in the field of property investments and finance." (Instagram profile, 11 Apr 2021; LinkedIn profile, 11 Apr 2021)
Awards and honours
 In 2015 he was named the International Swimming Federation [FINA] Male Swimmer of the Year. (olympics.nbcsports.com, 01 Feb 2016)

In 2015 he won the Swimmer's Swimmer of the Year award at the 2015 Australian Swimmer of the Year Awards. (swimswam.com, 05 Sep 2015)
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
 Chandler Swimming Club: Brisbane, QLD, AUS
Further Personal Information
Languages
 English
Residence
 Brisbane, QLD, AUS
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievement
 Winning silver in 200m backstroke at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (results.gc2018.com, 01 Oct 2017)
Most influential person in career
 His mother, and former coach Dean Pugh who passed away in 2021. (results.gc2018.com, 01 Oct 2017; Instagram profile, 19 Jan 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime
 He swims between 60 and 70 kilometres a week. He also incorporates yoga into his training regime. In early 2021 he was focusing on his final turn in the individual medley, taking inspiration from US swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. "I've been practising that last turn to make sure I do a couple of kicks just like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. It has been their secret weapon and I'm trying to replicate that as much as I can. Phelps and Lochte were incredible and I don't think Lochte gets enough credit for just how good he is. I watched them race at the 2011 worlds and just how far ahead of their time they were and they are still miles in front."
Further Personal Information
Family
 Partner Sinead

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
10 2021 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:57.80
7 2021 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 52.79
5 2021 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:29.60
4 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Backstroke 52.43
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Backstroke 1:53.96
3 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
8 2012 London, ENG 200m Backstroke 1:58.02 
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
9 2022 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 1:57.36
Heats 2022 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 25.47
Semifinal 2022 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 53.73
4 2022 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Backstroke  DNS
3 2019 Gwangju, KOR 100m Backstroke 52.77
7 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Individual Medley 1:57.32
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 50m Backstroke 25.33
5 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:30.42
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:39.08
Semifinal 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 1:59.10
6 2017 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 53.24
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 25.24
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
2 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:41.21
1 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Backstroke 1:53.58
4 2015 Kazan, RUS 50m Backstroke 24.70
1 2015 Kazan, RUS 100m Backstroke 52.40
2 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:30.08
Heats 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Backstroke 1:59.34
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:26.91
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:04.57
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Backstroke 2:00.52
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:52.78
3 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:48.25
4 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 100m Backstroke 49.46
Semifinal 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Backstroke 23.22
Heats 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 100m Individual Medley  DNS
8 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:24.65
8 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:33.19
7 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:38.69
4 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 200m Backstroke 1:49.25 
9 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 50m Backstroke 23.57 
1 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Backstroke 49.65
19 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Individual Medley 53.81 
2 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:23.56
4 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 6:53.72
1 2014 Doha, QAT 100m Backstroke 49.57
3 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Backstroke 1:48.35
5 2014 Doha, QAT 50m Backstroke 23.18
6 2014 Doha, QAT 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:22.86
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
29 2023   Overall Ranking  
8 2023 Athens, GRE 200m Backstroke 2:01.36
8 2023 Athens, GRE 100m Backstroke 55.64
2 2023 Athens, GRE 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:40.68
6 2023 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 2:01.20
8 2023 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 55.88
8 2023 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 2:01.00
7 2023 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 55.05
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:56.39
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:57.26
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 100m Backstroke 53.79
2 2019 Jinan, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:51.02
1 2019 Jinan, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:26.61
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 200m Backstroke 1:56.60
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:57.43
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 100m Backstroke 53.43
2 2019 Singapore, SGP 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:53.09
1 2019 Singapore, SGP 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:26.45
1 2019 Tokyo, JPN 200m Backstroke 1:55.97
1 2019 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:57.06
1 2019 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 53.76
2 2019 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:47.07
3 2018   Overall Ranking  
4 2018 Beijing, CHN 50m Backstroke 23.52
1 2018 Beijing, CHN 100m Backstroke 49.97
2 2018 Beijing, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:40.53
2 2018 Beijing, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:50.72
1 2018 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 1:49.52
3 2018 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 23.37
1 2018 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 1:52.96
1 2018 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 49.96
1 2018 Doha, QAT 200m Backstroke 1:57.45
1 2018 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:59.14
3 2018 Doha, QAT 50m Backstroke 25.15
1 2018 Doha, QAT 100m Backstroke 53.68
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 200m Backstroke 1:49.75
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 50m Backstroke 23.34
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 100m Backstroke 50.08
1 2018 Kazan, RUS 200m Backstroke 1:57.23
1 2018 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:59.47
3 2018 Kazan, RUS 50m Backstroke 25.35
1 2018 Kazan, RUS 100m Backstroke 53.99
2 2018 Singapore, SGP 200m Backstroke 1:49.26
2 2018 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:52.21
2 2018 Singapore, SGP 100m Backstroke 49.38
2 2018 Tokyo, JPN 200m Backstroke 1:48.51
5 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 23.48
7 2018 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:57.54
2 2018 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 49.54
40 2017   Overall  
7 2017 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:52.69
8 2017 Berlin, GER 200m Individual Medley 1:57.46
5 2017 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 50.87
5 2017 Berlin, GER 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:41.14
3 2017 Eindhoven, NED 100m Backstroke 50.43
5 2017 Eindhoven, NED 50m Backstroke 23.80
7 2017 Eindhoven, NED 200m Individual Medley 1:57.61
2 2017 Eindhoven, NED 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.42
2 2017 Moscow, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:07.93
6 2017 Moscow, RUS 200m Backstroke 1:53.30
8 2016   Overall  
3 2016 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 50.51
5 2016 Berlin, GER 100m Individual Medley 53.81
1 2016 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:48.81
4 2016 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 23.46
4 2016 Berlin, GER 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:42.28
2 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Backstroke 50.58
4 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Individual Medley 53.33
3 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 50m Backstroke 23.71
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:50.33
2 2016 Moscow, RUS 50m Backstroke 23.34
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 100m Backstroke 49.62
4 2016 Moscow, RUS 100m Individual Medley 53.05
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 200m Backstroke 1:48.31
2 2016 Paris, FRA 100m Backstroke 50.54
4 2016 Paris, FRA 100m Individual Medley 53.39
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 100m Backstroke 50.25
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Backstroke 1:50.22
3 2016 Singapore, SGP 50m Backstroke 23.29
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 50.23
4 2016 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 23.47
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Backstroke 1:49.91
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:41.29
18 2014   Overall  
2 2014 Beijing, CHN 100m Backstroke 50.37
2 2014 Beijing, CHN 50m Backstroke 23.41
1 2014 Beijing, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:48.69
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 50.59
4 2014 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 23.64
2 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Backstroke 1:49.95
20 2013   Overall  
3 2013 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 50.54
3 2013 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 23.80
4 2013 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:51.21
3 2013 Eindhoven, NED 100m Backstroke 50.53
4 2013 Eindhoven, NED 50m Backstroke 23.96
5 2013 Eindhoven, NED 200m Backstroke 1:50.79
3 2013 Singapore, SGP 100m Backstroke 50.82
4 2013 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 52.98
4 2013 Singapore, SGP 50m Backstroke 23.64
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Backstroke 1:51.67
3 2013 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:34.78
5 2013 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:44.23
3 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 50.83
7 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 53.26
2 2013 Tokyo, JPN 200m Backstroke 1:49.89
3 2013 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:33.25