Kenny Roberts
Personal information
Full nameKenny Roberts
National team Seychelles
Born (1978-05-12) 12 May 1978
Victoria, Seychelles
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, breaststroke, medley
ClubBolles School (U.S.)
College teamClemson University (U.S.)
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing the Seychelles
All-Africa Games
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Johannesburg 200 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Johannesburg 400 m medley

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.[1] 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.[2][3] Currently, Roberts is appointed as the chairman of the Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA).[4]

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).[5][6][7][8] He was also disqualified in the 200 m breaststroke for an illegal dolphin kick during the race.[9]

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.[10]

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).[11]

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.[12] 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.[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Kenny Roberts". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Bolles in the Olympics". Bolles School. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Swimming And Diving Teams Split With Virginia". Clemson Tigers. 30 October 1999. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Kenny Roberts new swimming chairman, Garry Albert replaces Ng as tennis boss". Seychelles Nation. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 50m Freestyle Heat 2" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 357. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 1" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 358. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 1" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 361. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 200m Individual Medley Heat 1" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 367. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Barcelona 1992: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 1" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 362. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Atlanta 1996: Aquatics (Swimming) – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 1" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria: Two Seychelles contingents half way to Abuja". Seychelles Nation Online. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 3)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 3" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 113. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "Wide-open race in the men's 100 free". Canoe.ca. 18 September 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
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