Kenny Roberts (swimmer)

{{Short description|Seychellois swimmer (born 1978)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Kenny Roberts

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Kenny Roberts

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{SEY}}

| strokes = Freestyle, breaststroke, medley

| club = Bolles School (U.S.)

| coach =

| collegeteam = Clemson University (U.S.)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|5|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Victoria, Seychelles

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|75|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}

{{MedalCountry | the Seychelles }}

{{MedalCompetition|All-Africa Games}}

{{MedalBronze| 1999 Johannesburg | 200 m medley }}

{{MedalBronze| 1999 Johannesburg | 400 m medley }}

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Kenny Roberts (born May 12, 1978) is a Seychellois former swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle, but also competed in breaststroke and in individual medley.{{cite sports-reference|title = Kenny Roberts|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/kenny-roberts-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418073150/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/kenny-roberts-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 13 June 2013}} He represented the Seychelles in all three editions of the Olympic Games, since the nation made its comeback in 1992. While studying in the United States, he played for the Bolles School's Sharks Club, under head coach Gregg Troy, and later for the Clemson University's swimming and diving team, also known as the Clemson Tigers.{{cite web|title=Bolles in the Olympics|url=http://www.bolles.org/s/864/currentsp/indexNoRot.aspx?sid=864&gid=1&pgid=1814|publisher=Bolles School|access-date=5 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511024134/http://www.bolles.org/s/864/currentsp/indexNoRot.aspx?sid=864&gid=1&pgid=1814|archive-date=11 May 2013}}{{cite news|title=Swimming And Diving Teams Split With Virginia|url=http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=205527099|publisher=Clemson Tigers|date=30 October 1999|access-date=5 June 2013}} Currently, Roberts is appointed as the chairman of the Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA).{{cite news|title=Kenny Roberts new swimming chairman, Garry Albert replaces Ng as tennis boss|url=http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=30720|publisher=Seychelles Nation|date=7 March 2013|access-date=12 June 2013}}

Roberts made his official debut, as a 14-year-old, at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He failed to reach the top 16 final in any of his individual events, finishing sixty-eighth in the 50 m freestyle (26.78), seventy-second in the 100 m freestyle (58.86), fifty-eighth in the 100 m breaststroke (1:16.52), and fifty-first in the 200 m individual medley (2:30.35).{{cite web|title=Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 50m Freestyle Heat 2 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222351/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |work=Barcelona 1992 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=357 |access-date=2 May 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 1 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222351/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |work=Barcelona 1992 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=358 |access-date=2 May 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 1 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222351/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |work=Barcelona 1992 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=361 |access-date=2 May 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 200m Individual Medley Heat 1 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222351/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |work=Barcelona 1992 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=367 |access-date=2 May 2013 }} He was also disqualified in the 200 m breaststroke for an illegal dolphin kick during the race.{{cite web|title=Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 1 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222351/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |work=Barcelona 1992 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=362 |access-date=2 May 2013 }}

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Roberts drastically shortened his program, swimming only in the 100 m freestyle. He placed fifty-second on the morning prelims in a Seychellois record of 52.89.{{cite web|title=Atlanta 1996: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 1 |url=http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v3p1.pdf |work=Atlanta 1996 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=36 |access-date=28 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523164915/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v3p1.pdf |archive-date=23 May 2011 }}

Three years later, at the 1999 All-Africa Games in Johannesburg, South Africa, Roberts collected two bronze medals for Seychelles each in the 200 m individual medley (2:11.00), and in the 400 m individual medley (4:46.26).{{cite news|title=Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria: Two Seychelles contingents half way to Abuja|url=http://www.seychelles.net/seynat/sports/10101003.html|publisher=Seychelles Nation Online|date=10 October 2003|access-date=12 June 2013}}

Eight years after competing in his first Olympics, Roberts swam for the third time in the 100 m freestyle, as a 22-year-old, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He achieved a FINA B-cut of 52.59 from the All-Africa Games.{{cite web|title=Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 3)|url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000100060003000000FFFFFFFFFFFF00|format=PDF|work=Sydney 2000|publisher=Omega Timing|access-date=23 April 2013}} He challenged seven other swimmers in heat three, including Trinidad and Tobago's 16-year-old George Bovell. Coming from sixth on the initial length, Roberts faded down the stretch to pick up a seventh seed in a time of 53.91, just 1.32 seconds below his entry standard. Roberts failed to advance into the semifinals for his third Olympic run, as he placed sixty-first overall in the prelims.{{cite web|title=Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 3 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Masters/sw/SWresults.pdf |work=Sydney 2000 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=113 |access-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819181023/http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Masters/sw/SWresults.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2011 }}{{cite news|title=Wide-open race in the men's 100 free|url=http://www.canoe.ca/2000GamesSwimming/sep19_wid.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615164701/http://www.canoe.ca/2000GamesSwimming/sep19_wid.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=15 June 2013|publisher=Canoe.ca|date=18 September 2000|access-date=3 June 2013}}