James Gibson (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
James Gibson MBE
(born 6 February 1980) is an English
swimmer.
Born in Chelmsford
, Essex
, and raised in Witham
, Gibson's specialism is breaststroke
and he competes in the 50 metre, 100 metre and 200 metre events. In 2003 he became world champion at 50 metres (long-course). He was 6th in the 100 metre event at the Athens Olympics
in 2004. A year earlier, at the 2003 Summer Universiade
, he won titles in both the 50 m and 100 m breast.
In choosing three words to describe himself, Gibson has said, "confidence, positive and pecs
", referring to his prodigious pectoral muscles
. On a 2003 edition of the sports-comedy quiz show They Think It's All Over
he admitted to rippling his chest muscles before races in order to "freak out" the opposition.
He was appointed MBE
in the 2004 New Year's Honours. Gibson's club is Loughborough University
where he is coached by Ben Titley.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 6 February 1980) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
swimmer.
Born in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and raised in Witham
Witham
Witham is a town in the county of Essex, in the south east of England with a population of 22,500. It is part of the District of Braintree and is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands between the larger towns of Chelmsford and Colchester...
, Gibson's specialism is breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
and he competes in the 50 metre, 100 metre and 200 metre events. In 2003 he became world champion at 50 metres (long-course). He was 6th in the 100 metre event at the Athens Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in 2004. A year earlier, at the 2003 Summer Universiade
Swimming at the 2003 Summer Universiade
The swimming competition during the 2003 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXII Summer Universiade, took place in Daegu, South Korea from August 24 till August 30, 2003.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:* *...
, he won titles in both the 50 m and 100 m breast.
In choosing three words to describe himself, Gibson has said, "confidence, positive and pecs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
", referring to his prodigious pectoral muscles
Pectoralis major muscle
The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle, situated at the chest of the body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles in the male and lies under the breast in the female...
. On a 2003 edition of the sports-comedy quiz show They Think It's All Over
They think it's all over
They think it's all over is a well known quotation and football chant popular in England. It is taken from Kenneth Wolstenholme's BBC TV commentary in the closing moments of the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final, where England beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time to win the FIFA World Cup.Soon after the...
he admitted to rippling his chest muscles before races in order to "freak out" the opposition.
He was appointed MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 2004 New Year's Honours. Gibson's club is Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
where he is coached by Ben Titley.
Personal bests and records held
| Event | Long course | Short course |
|---|---|---|
| 50 m breaststroke | 27.46 NR | 26.94 |
| 100 m breaststroke | 1.00.37 | 57.91 (2008) NR |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2.15.67 | 2.08.36 |
| Key NR:British | ||