Tom Shields

Tom Shields

Kazan 2015
Personal information
Full name Thomas Allen Shields
Nickname(s) "Tom"
National team  United States
Born (1991-07-11) July 11, 1991
Panama City, Florida
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Butterfly, freestyle, backstroke
Club California Aquatics
College team University of California, Berkeley

Thomas Allen Shields (born July 11, 1991) is an American swimmer who swims for the University of California, Berkeley. In 2016, Shields placed second in the 200 m butterfly at the US Olympic Swimming Trials. He currently holds the short-course American records in the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter butterfly events, as well as the 100-yard butterfly.

Collegiate career

At the 2011 NCAA Division 1 Championships, Shields won the 100-yard backstroke (45.02), second place in the 100-yard butterfly (44.91), and third in the 200-yard butterfly (1:41.20). He anchored the second place 4×50-yard freestyle relay, the 4×100-yard freestyle relay, and 4×200-yard freestyle relay. He swam the butterfly leg for the medley relays.

Shields swam for Cal at the 2012 NCAA Swimming Championships. Shields finished first in the 100-yard Butterfly (44.76) and the 100-yard backstroke (44.86). He finished second to teammate Will Hamilton in the 200-yard Butterfly (1:41.07). He anchored the 400-yard Freestyle relay with a split of 41.79, and started the 800 Freestyle Relay (splitting a 1:33.72). He swam the butterfly leg in both the 200-yard Medley Relay (19.80 split) and the first-place finishing 400 Medley Relay (splitting a 43.56).

He concluded his collegiate career with two first-place finishes in the 100 fly (44.59) and the 200 fly (1:39.65) and a second-place finish in the 100 back (45.21) at the 2013 NCAA D1 Championships. Shields's 200 fly time tied Michael Phelps for the fastest short course time in history. The University of California, Berkeley, finished second in the meet to the University of Michigan.

International career

Shields in Kazan 2015 before his 100m butterfly final

At the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, Shields earned the first international medal of his career, a gold, in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay for his contribution in the heats. As the second leg, Shields had a split of 1:50.57. Shields earned his first individual medal, a silver, in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing behind compatriot Tim Phillips. Shields also earned a silver medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay for his contribution in the heats.

At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Shields finished fourth place in the 100-meter butterfly behind Michael Phelps, Tyler McGill, and Ryan Lochte, with a time of 51.86.[1] He finished ninth place in the 200-meter butterfly semi-finals with a time of 1:58.75. Additionally, he competed in the 100-meter freestyle, finishing twenty-first in the heats (49.96).

Shields competed at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul, Turkey. He finished second in the 100 meter butterfly (49.54) and third in the 50 meter butterfly (22.46). Shields's time in the 50 meter butterfly was a new American Record. Additionally, the relay team of Matt Grevers, Kevin Cordes, Shields, and Ryan Lochte swam to a gold medal finish in the 4 × 100 meter medley relay.

After failing to qualify for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships, Shields broke the American record in the 200 short course meter butterfly at the Eindhoven World Cup. He also posted a personal best of 49.32 in the 100 meter butterfly at the same meet. A few days later, he lowered his own American Record mark in the 200 meter butterfly at 1:51.31

Personal bests

As of August 31, 2014
Long Course Meters
Event Time Meet Date
100 m butterfly 51.03 2015 World Championships August 7, 2015
200 m butterfly 1:55.09 2014 US National Championships August 6, 2014
Short Course Meters
Event Time Meet Date
50 m butterfly 22.46 AR 2012 Short Course World Championships December 12, 2012
100 m butterfly 48.63 AR 2015 Duel in the Pool, Indianapolis December 11, 2015
200 m butterfly 1:49.05 AR 2015 Duel in the Pool, Indianapolis December 12, 2015
100 m backstroke 50.15 2013 World Cup, Dubai October 17, 2013
200 m backstroke 1:51.88 2014 World Cup, Hong Kong October 17, 2013
Short Course Yards
Event Time Meet Date
100 yard butterfly 43.84 AR[2] 2016 Short Course National Championships December 2, 2016
200 yard butterfly 1:39.65 2013 NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships March 28, 2013
100 yard backstroke 44.86 2012 NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships March 22, 2012
200 yard freestyle 1:32.75r 2011 NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships March 24, 2011

Personal life

Shields was born on July 11, 1991 to Tim and Jolene Shields in Panama City, Florida, as his father was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base. When Shields was two years old, his parents moved him and his older sister, Lindy Shields, to their hometown, Huntington Beach, California. It was there in Orange County that Shields began swimming when he was eight years old. He attended Edison High School where he swam on the Varsity Swim Team all four years, receiving multiple awards, breaking the National High School Record in the 200 Yard Freestyle (1:33.83), and ending his high school career with an induction into the Edison High School Hall of Fame in 2009.

Shields will graduate from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in religious studies. He enjoys bodysurfing in his spare time.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (swimming) – Men's 100 metre butterfly (final).". Omega Timing. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  2. ↑ Neidigh, Lauren (December 2, 2016). "Tom Shields throws down 43.8 100 fly for new American, U.S. Open record". Swimswam. Retrieved December 2, 2016.

External links

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