Kate Shortman

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Kate Shortman

| image = kate shortman 2024 1.jpg

| caption = Shortman in 2024

| full_name = Kate Elizabeth Shortman

| nationality = British

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2001|11|19}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| height =

| weight =

| strokes = Synchronised swimming

| classification =

| club =

| coach =

| module =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

{{MedalSilver|2024 Paris|Artistic swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's duet}}

{{MedalSilver|2024 Doha|Artistic swimming at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships – Women's duet technical routine}}

{{MedalSilver|2024 Belgrade|Artistic swimming at the 2024 European Aquatics Championships – Women's duet technical routine}}

{{MedalSilver|2024 Belgrade|Artistic swimming at the 2024 European Aquatics Championships – Women's duet free routine}}

{{MedalBronze|2023 Kraków-Małopolska|Artistic swimming at the 2023 European Games – Duet free}}

}}

Kate Elizabeth Shortman (born 19 November 2001){{Cite web |title=Artistic swimming – Entry list |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/0001130600FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF03.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729143545/https://www.omegatiming.com/File/0001130600FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF03.pdf |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=2019 World Aquatics Championships}} is a British synchronised swimmer, the most successful in her nation's history. With partner Isabelle Thorpe, she won a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the duet, the first medal won by Great Britain in the sport.

Shortman competed in the women's duet event at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.{{Cite news |last=Bennett |first=Charlie |date=3 August 2021 |title=Swimming duo Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe go from Zoom routines to Olympic pool |work=Bristol Post |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/other-sport/swimming-kate-shortman-isabelle-thorpe-5733974 |access-date=3 August 2021}} She has also represented Great Britain at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In 2023 at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, she won a first world medal in the solo free routine, after winning a duet bronze with Thorpe at the 2023 European Games. The following year saw consistent silver medal success for Shortman and Thorpe in European, World and finally Olympic duet.

Progression

At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships, she finished in 10th place in the solo technical routine and in 11th place in the solo free routine.{{Cite web |title=Solo technical routine – Final |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002660402FFFFFFFFFFFF03.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729142228/https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002660402FFFFFFFFFFFF03.pdf |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=2019 World Aquatics Championships}}{{Cite web |title=Solo free routine – Final |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002670401FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729142516/https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002670401FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=2019 World Aquatics Championships}} Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe competed in the duet technical routine and duet free routine and they finished in 14th place in the preliminary round in both events.{{Cite web |title=Duet technical routine – Preliminary round |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002CA0102FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729144320/https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002CA0102FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=2019 World Aquatics Championships}}{{Cite web |title=Duet free routine – Preliminary round |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002CB0101FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729144450/https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000113060002CB0101FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=2019 World Aquatics Championships}}

In 2021, she competed in the solo free routine, the duet free routine and duet technical routine events at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary.

She finished in 7th place in the solo technical routine at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe finished in 9th place in the duet technical routine.

At the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Thorpe and Shortman won the silver medal in the Duet technical routine competition, becoming the first Britons to do so.{{cite web |title=World Aquatics Championships 2024: GB's Izzy Thorpe & Kate Shortman win silver and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix takes diving bronze |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/swimming/68204931 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=26 February 2024 |date=5 February 2024}} The pair followed this up with bronze in the Duet free routine competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/000118030002CB0401FFFFFFFFFFFF02.pdf|title=Final results|publisher=omegatiming.com|date=8 February 2024|access-date=26 February 2024}} This ensured the duo's qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics{{cite web |title=World bronze seals Olympic Games spot for Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe |url=https://www.swimming.org/artistic-swimming/shortman-thorpe-qualify-olympics-2024/ |website=Swim England |access-date=26 February 2024 |date=9 February 2024}} where they won a silver medal.

{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/great-britain-netherlands-china-austria-paris-b2594511.html|title=

History makers in the pool as Great Britain claim first artistic swimming medal|publisher=The Independent |accessdate=10 August 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cx28yy0j0y8o.amp|title=

Shortman and Thorpe win historic artistic swimming medal|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=10 August 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/synchro-swimming/olympic-games-paris-2024/2024/isabelle-thorpe-kate-shortman-silver-team-gb-artistic-swimming_sto20028222/story.shtml|title=Team GB’s Isabelle Thorpe and Kate Shortman earn artistic swimming silver as China win dramatic gold late on|publisher=Eurosport|accessdate=10 August 2024}} This was the first ever medal for Great Britain in artistic swimming at the Olympics.

Early life and education

Shortman was born in Bristol. She attended Redland High School and Redmaids' High School before attending Clifton High School along with Isabelle Thorpe.{{Cite web|url=https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/kate-shortman/5okxkPuE6LsGhrNzKG4bgU|title=Kate Shortman|website=Team GB|accessdate=30 July 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://cliftonhighfoundation.co.uk/news/clifton-rosarians/104/104-Alumni-Olympians-return-to-School|title=Alumni Olympians return to School|website=Clifton High Foundation|first=Elizabeth|last=Bond|date=11 January 2022|accessdate=30 July 2024}} Shortman earned a Bill Whiteley Scholarship to study International Management and French at the University of Bath.{{Cite web|url=https://www.teambath.com/2024/05/14/kate-shortman-artistic-swimming-team-gb-paris-olympics/|title=Bath sporting scholar Kate Shortman officially selected in Team GB artistic swimming squad for Paris 2024 Olympic Games|website=Team Bath|date=14 May 2024|accessdate=30 July 2024}}

Shortman and Thorpe train at the City of Bristol Swimming Club.{{Cite web |title=Making a splash: Interview with Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe |url=https://thebristolmag.co.uk/making-a-splash-interview-with-kate-shortman-and-isabelle-thorpe/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |website=The Bristol Magazine |archive-date=19 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019053143/https://thebristolmag.co.uk/making-a-splash-interview-with-kate-shortman-and-isabelle-thorpe/ |url-status=dead }}