Brett Petersen

Brett Petersen
Personal information
Nationality  South Africa
Born 9 September 1976
East London, South Africa
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 95 kg (209 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
College team Florida State Seminoles (USA)
Coach Neil Harper (USA)

Brett Petersen (born September 9, 1976 in East London) is a retired South African swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events.[1] He won a gold medal in the 100 m breaststroke at the 1999 All-Africa Games, and later became a top 8 finalist in the same distance at the 2000 Summer Olympics. While studying in the United States, Petersen was part of the 200-yard medley relay team that claimed a top finish at the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming Championships.[2] Petersen also played for the Florida State Seminoles swimming and diving team under head coach Neil Harper, and later became a graduate of management information systems at the Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Petersen made his official debut at the 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Sydney, where he placed fourth in the 100 m breaststroke, just a small fraction outside the podium.[3] On that same year, Petersen powered home with a gold medal for South Africa in the 100 m breaststroke (1:02.63) at the All-Africa Games in Johannesburg.[4]

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Petersen competed only in two swimming events.[5] He established a South African record and achieved a FINA A-standard of 1:01.62 from the Olympic trials in Johannesburg.[6][7] In the 100 m breaststroke, Petersen finished seventh in a time of 1:01.63, holding off Switzerland's Remo Lütolf by a quarter of a second (0.25).[8][9][10] Petersen also teamed up with Simon Thirsk, Nicholas Folker, and Theo Verster in the 4×100 m medley relay. Swimming a breaststroke leg in heat two, Petersen recorded a split of 1:02.51, but the South Africans finished the race in fourth place and thirteenth overall with a final time of 3:42.44.[11]

At the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Petersen fought off a challenge from Australia's Simon Cowley to pick up a silver medal in the 50 m breaststroke (28.72).[12]

The following year, at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, Petersen failed to receive a single medal in any of his individual events, finishing fourth in the 50 m breaststroke (28.64) and fifth in the 100 m breaststroke (1:02.14).[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ "Brett Petersen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Seminoles Cruise Through 1998-99 Season". Florida State Seminoles. 2 December 1999. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (23 August 1999). "1999 Pan Pacific Championships: Day 2". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  4. ↑ Smith, Neville (12 September 1999). "All Africa Games – Day 1". Swim News. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "South Africa Announces Olympic Squad". Swimming World Magazine. 11 April 2000. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "Swimming – Men's 100m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 8)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Lemke, Gary (9 April 2000). "Olympic selection a triumph for wisdom". Independent Online (South Africa). Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Breaststroke Final" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 237. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  9. ↑ Lemke, Gary (18 September 2000). "Penny third as Quann triumphs". Independent Online (South Africa). Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Whitten, Phillip (17 September 2000). "Olympic Day 2 Finals". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 4×100m Medley Relay Heat 2" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 347. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Goodwill Games: Aussie Men Drub Euros, 113-35; World Squeaks by USA". Swimming World Magazine. 31 August 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "England Celebrates Its Greatest Day Ever in International Competition, Wins 4 Gold on Day 3 of Commonwealth Games". Swimming World Magazine. 1 August 2002. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  14. ↑ Whitten, Phillip (3 August 2002). "Welsh Wins 100 Back at Commonwealth Games, Stymies Thorpe's Bid for 7 Gold: Norris Wins Third Gold". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 2 June 2013.

External links