Zoe Baker
Sport/Event >
Swimming – breaststroke
Date and Place of Birth >
1976, Chesterfield
Coached by >
Kim Swanwick
Occupation >
Full-time swimmer/Student
Biography >
Was one of Britain’s most successful swimmers on the world stage before transferring her loyalties to New Zealand.
Burst on the scene by breaking the 50m breaststroke European long course record in 1999 – the beginning of a spree that saw her set a string of British, Commonwealth, European and World records for the discipline.
At the Manchester 2002 she set a world record in the 50m breaststroke semi-finals en route to capturing gold for England. Just missed out on the medals representing New Zealand at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealths, finishing fourth.
Spent time training at the University of Bath in 2004, before returning to Bath in 2006 to combine training with studying Sports Performance.
Zoe was joint winner of the BBC’s women’s Superstars title in 2003 with snowboarder Lesley McKenna.
Competitive Record >
European LC Championships: silver 50m breaststroke, bronze 4×100m medley relay, 1999
European SC Championships: gold 50m breaststroke 1999
European LC Championships: silver 50m breastrstroke 2000
World LC Championships: bronze 50m breaststroke 2001
World SC Championships: bronze 50m breaststroke 2002
Commonwealth Games: gold 50m breaststroke, Manchester July 2002
World LC Championships: bronze 50m breaststroke 2003
World LC Championships: 5th 50m breaststroke, Montreal, July 2005
FINA World Cup: bronze 50m breaststroke, 10th 50m butterfly, Sydney, November 2005
Commonwealth Games: 4th 50m breaststroke, Melbourne, March 2006
BUSA SC Championships: golds 50m breaststroke & 4×50m medley relay, Sheffield, November 2006
New Zealand World Champs Trials: gold 50m breaststroke, Waitakere City, November 2006
