Kai Taylor
{{Short description|Australian swimmer (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Kai Taylor
| image =
| caption =
| fullname =
| nationality = Australian
| strokes =Freestyle
| club =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|8|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = South Brisbane, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}
{{MedalOlympic}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Paris|4×100 m freestyle}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|4×200 m freestyle}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships (LC)}}
{{MedalGold|2023 Fukuoka|4×100 m freestyle}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Doha|4×100 m mixed freestyle}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 Fukuoka|4×200 m freestyle}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 Fukuoka|4×100 m medley}}
|coach=Dean Boxall}}
Kai Taylor (born 18 August 2003) is an Australian swimmer.https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/kai-taylor_1946196 He competed in the men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he won a silver medal.
Taylor is the son of Australian swimming Olympic medallist Hayley Lewis.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-24 |title=An Aussie swimming dynasty – Hayley Lewis and son Kai Taylor |url=https://www.worldaquatics.com/news/3602037/www.worldaquatics.com/news/3602037/an-aussie-swimming-dynasty-hayley-lewis-and-son-kai-taylor |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=World Aquatics |language=en}}
Swimming career
= 2023 Australian Swimming Trials =
{{Main|2023 Australian Swimming Trials}}
Taylor competed in 3 events at 2023 Australian Swimming Trials: the 50 metre, 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle.{{Cite web |date=13 June 2023 |title=2023 Australian Swimming Trials - FINAL START LIST |url=https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/finalstart.pdf |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=SwimSwam}}
On Day 2, Taylor finished 9th in the heats of the 200 m freestyle in 1:48.37. Due to Kyle Chalmers' decision to withdraw from the final, Taylor swam in his place and went on to win the final from lane 8 in 1:46.25.
On Day 4, Taylor qualified for the final of the 100 m freestyle in seventh place, then came fourth in the final in 48.60 s.
On Day 6, Taylor finished 14th in the heats of the 50 m freestyle before winning the B final.
At the end of the meet, it was announced that Taylor was selected in the team for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships to swim the 200 m freestyle individually, as well as the 4 x 100 and {{nowrap|4 × 200 m}} freestyle relays.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Annika |date=2023-06-19 |title=Australia Names 38 Swimmers to 2023 World Championships Roster |url=https://swimswam.com/australia-names-39-swimmers-to-2023-world-championships-roster/ |access-date=28 July 2024 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} He became the 852nd person to represent Australia in swimming.
= 2023 World Aquatics Championships =
{{Main|Swimming at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships}}
On Day 1, Taylor swam the third leg of the {{nowrap|4 × 100 m}} freestyle relay heat, splitting 47.59 s and qualifying Australia to the final in second. As a result, he was selected to swim the third leg in the final, where his 47.91 s split helped Australia to the gold medal.
On Day 2, Taylor swam the heats of the 200 m freestyle, however he finished 20th and did not progress to the semi finals.
On Day 6, Taylor swam the third leg of the {{nowrap|4 × 200 m}} freestyle heat, producing the fastest split in the field of 1:44.59 to qualify Australia to the final in first. In the final, he swam the first leg in 1:45.79 as Australia finished third.
On Day 8, Taylor swam the freestyle leg of the {{nowrap|4 × 100 m}} medley relay heat, splitting 47.69 s and qualifying Australia for the final in third place. He was eventually replaced by Kyle Chalmers for the final as he earned a bronze medal.
= 2024 World Aquatics Championships =
{{Main|Swimming at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships}}
Taylor was selected in the Australian team for the 2024 World Aquatics Championships to swim the 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle events, as well as relays.
In each of his individual events, Taylor advanced to the semi-finals however did not advance to the final.
Due to the reduced team size at the championships, Taylor swam the butterfly leg of the men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay, however the team finished 9th in the heats and did not advance to the final.
In the mixed 4 x 100 freestyle relay, Taylor swam the first leg in both the heat and the final, where he set his personal best time of 48.01 s{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=Sean |date=2024-04-19 |title=2024 Australian Open Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-australian-open-championships-day-4-prelims-live-recap/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} as Australia won a silver medal.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{World Aquatics}}
- {{Swimming Australia|kai-taylor}}
- {{AOC profile|kai-taylor}}
- {{Olympics.com|kai-taylor}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 4x100m Freestyle Men}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Kai}}
Category:Australian male freestyle swimmers
Category:Olympic swimmers for Australia
Category:Olympic silver medalists for Australia
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia
Category:Olympic silver medalists in swimming
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
Category:Swimmers at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics