Elijah Winnington

Elijah Winnington (born 5 May 2000) is an Australian competitive swimmer who specialises in the sprint freestyle events. He has competed in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, 2020 Summer Olympics, and 2022 World Aquatics Championships. Winnington is the current 400m freestyle world champion.

Elijah Winnington
Elijah Winnington on the Gold Coast, Australia
Personal information
Nickname(s)Lij, Lijo
National teamAustralia
Born (2000-05-05) 5 May 2000[1]
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubSt Peters Western[2]
CoachDean Boxall
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 0 1
World Championships (LC) 1 1 1
Pan Pacific Championships 0 0 0
Commonwealth Games 4 0 1
Junior World Championships (LC) 0 0 3
Total 5 1 6
Men's swimming
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place2020 Tokyo4×200 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place2022 Budapest400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place2022 Budapest4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place2023 Fukuoka4×200 m freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Gold Coast4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place2022 Birmingham400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place2022 Birmingham4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place2022 Birmingham4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place2022 Birmingham200 m freestyle
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place2017 Indianapolis200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place2017 Indianapolis4×100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place2017 Indianapolis4×100 m medley
Junior Pan Pacific Championships
Gold medal – first place2016 Maui4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place2016 Maui4×100 m freestyle

Background

Winnington was born in Gold Coast, Queensland. He went to King's Christian College, graduating in 2017.[3] Winnington eventually swam under Richard Spence at Bond Swimming Club for a couple of years until changing to St Peter's Western under Dean Boxall.

Career

Winnington won three bronze medals at the 2017 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in the 200 m freestyle and the 4 × 100 m freestyle and 4 × 100 m medley relays. Winnington's breakthrough would come at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he won gold in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay alongside Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham and Mack Horton. The relay team's time of 7:05.97 was a games record.

In 2019, Winnington would compete at the 2019 Australian Swimming Championships, winning gold in the 400 m freestyle event and silver in the 200 m freestyle event. Two years later, at the 2021 Australian Swimming Championships, Winnington would retain his title in the 400 m freestyle event and won bronze in the 200 m freestyle event.

2020 Summer Olympics

At the 2021 Australian Swimming Trials, Winnington competed in the 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m freestyle events. He qualified for the Olympic team in the 200 m and 400 m events, coming first in the 400 m event and second in the 200 m. Although Winnington qualified with the fastest time in the world for the 400m freestyle, he failed to claim a medal in the final.

2022 World Aquatics Championships

Winnington won his first international gold medal in the 400m freestyle during the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He swam a personal best time of 3:41.22 in the final, which was the 5th fastest time in the history of the men's 400m freestyle (long course). Winnington also won bronze in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.

References
  1. "Elijah Winnington". Speedo Australia. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  2. "Elijah Winnington". Swimming Australia.
  3. "Elijah Winnington". King's Christian College. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
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