Keri-anne Payne

Summary

Keri-anne Payne (born 9 December 1987), is a South African-born British swimmer, specialising in marathon open water swimming, and long-distance freestyle swimming in the pool. She is a two-time 10-kilometre open water world champion, and an Olympic silver medallist.

Keri-anne Payne
Payne at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, 2013
Personal information
Full nameKeri-anne Payne
National team Great Britain
Born (1987-12-09) 9 December 1987 (age 36)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb; 10.6 st)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, medley
ClubWarrender Baths SC
Stockport Metro SC
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Great Britain
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing Marathon 10 km
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rome 10 km open water
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai 10 km open water
European Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2004 Vienna 400 m freestyle
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 400 m medley

Swimming career edit

Payne was born on 9 December 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to British parents,[1] who registered her birth at the British Consulate. She started swimming aged 4, and was noticed aged 8 by British Swimming's national performance director Bill Sweetenham at a training camp in South Africa.[2] As a result, the family returned to the UK to live in Heywood, Greater Manchester, when she was 13.[1]

Payne attended Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School. Joining Stockport Metro, she has been coached since by Sean Kelly. Having broken the British junior 800-metre freestyle record in 2002, Payne's central financial support was cut after she failed to win a medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. As a result, Kelly suggested that she try open water swimming, allowing her to access additional central funding.[2]

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she competed in the 200-metre individual medley and 400-metre individual medley swimming events, as well as the 10-kilometre open water event, in which she placed second and won a silver medal.[3]

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, held in Rome, Payne won the 10-kilometre open water event. She finished first in a time of two hours, one minute and 37.1 seconds.[4]

In 2011 in Shanghai, Payne reclaimed the World Championship in the 10 km open water event, becoming in the process the first British athlete in any sport to confirm qualification for the 2012 Summer Olympics.[5] She took part in the 10-kilometre open water event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and finished fourth, four seconds behind the winner.

Payne trained at British Swimming's Intensive Training Centre at Stockport's Grand Central Pools.[1] Keri-anne then relocated to Edinburgh, where Payne joined Warrender Baths Club.[6]

In 2014, she won the LEN European Open Water Swimming Cup Super Final in Castellabate, Italy.[7]

In January 2017 Payne announced her retirement from competitive swimming [8]

Starting in January 2018, Payne will be co-presenting The Wave on UKTV channel W.[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Kate Rew (20 September 2009). "How I got my body". The Observer. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Keri-Anne Payne's goals for 2012 – Olympic gold and a wedding ring". BBC Sport. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  3. ^ "British duo take 10km swim medals". BBC Sport. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  4. ^ "Payne powers to 10km world crown". BBC Sport. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  5. ^ "GB swimmer Keri-anne Payne wins gold – and qualifies for 2012 Olympics". The Guardian. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  6. ^ Magnay, Jacqueline (29 December 2012). "Keri-Anne Payne considers switching to the pool after the pain of fourth at London Olympics". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Payne makes winning return to open water". Swimming.org. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Keri-anne Payne: Olympic medallist and two-time world champion retires". BBC Sport.
  9. ^ "The Wave". W. Retrieved 7 January 2018.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Team GB Olympic profile
  • British Swimming profile
Awards
Preceded by World Open Water Swimmer of the Year
2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by FINA Open Water Swimmer of the Year
2011
Succeeded by