Tom Shields

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Tom Shields
Tom Shields-2 (35029338752).jpg
Santa Clara 2017
Personal information
Full nameThomas Allen Shields
Nickname(s)"Tom"
National team United States
Born (1991-07-11) July 11, 1991 (age 30)
Panama City, Florida, U.S.
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight200 lb (91 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly, freestyle, backstroke
ClubCalifornia Aquatics
College teamUniversity of California, Berkeley
Medal record
USA Swimming: Shields first swimmer under 44 seconds in 100yd butterfly

Thomas Allen Shields (born July 11, 1991) is an American competitive swimmer. He is a two-time Olympian and the current American record-holder in the 200-meter butterfly. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Shields won a gold medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay for swimming the butterfly leg of the relay in the prelims. Later the same year he became the first American to swim faster than 44 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly, setting a new American record of 43.84. For the 2020 Summer Olympics, he qualified to swim the 100-meter butterfly.

Collegiate career[]

At the 2010 NCAA Division 1 meet, he won the 100-yard butterfly, second place in the 200-yard butterfly, and was 16th in the 200-yard freestyle. Both of his butterfly efforts broke 17-18 National Age Group records (44.91, and 1:41.59 respectively). He was on the winning 400-yard medley relay, and the winning 400-yard free relay. The Bears would finish in second, to Texas, in the championships.

At the 2011 NCAA Division 1 Championships, Shields won the 100-yard backstroke (45.02), second place in the 100-yard butterfly (44.91), and third in the 200-yard butterfly (1:41.20). He anchored the second place 4×50-yard freestyle relay, the winning 4×100-yard freestyle relay, and the second place in 4×200-yard freestyle relay. He swam the butterfly leg for the medley relays. University of California, Berkeley, his team, won the championships.

Shields swam for Cal at the 2012 NCAA Swimming Championships. Shields finished first in the 100-yard Butterfly (44.76) and the 100-yard backstroke (44.86). He finished second to teammate Will Hamilton in the 200-yard Butterfly (1:41.07). He anchored the 400-yard Freestyle relay with a split of 41.79, and started the 800 Freestyle Relay. He swam the butterfly leg in both the 200-yard Medley Relay (19.80 split) and the first-place finishing 400 Medley Relay (splitting a 43.56). UC Berkeley repeated as champions, and he was awarded Swimmer of the Meet.

He concluded his collegiate career with two first-place finishes in the 100 fly (44.59) and the 200 fly (1:39.65) and a second-place finish in the 100 back (45.21) at the 2013 NCAA D1 Championships. Shields's 200 fly time tied Michael Phelps for the fastest short course time in history. The University of California, Berkeley, finished second in the meet to the University of Michigan.

International career[]

Shields in Kazan 2015 before his 100m butterfly final

At the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, Shields earned the first international medal of his career, a gold, in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay for his contribution in the heats. As the second leg, Shields had a split of 1:50.57. Shields earned his first individual medal, a silver, in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing behind compatriot Tim Phillips. Shields also earned a silver medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay for his contribution in the heats.

At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Shields finished fourth place in the 100-meter butterfly behind Michael Phelps, Tyler McGill, and Ryan Lochte, with a time of 51.86.[1] He finished ninth place in the 200-meter butterfly semi-finals with a time of 1:58.75. Additionally, he competed in the 100-meter freestyle, finishing twenty-first in the heats (49.96).

Shields competed at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul, Turkey. He finished second in the 100 meter butterfly (49.54) and third in the 50 meter butterfly (22.46). Shields's time in the 50 meter butterfly was a new American Record. Additionally, the relay team of Matt Grevers, Kevin Cordes, Shields, and Ryan Lochte swam to a gold medal finish in the 4 × 100 meter medley relay.

After failing to qualify for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships, Shields broke the American record in the 200 short course meter butterfly at the Eindhoven World Cup. He also posted a personal best of 49.32 in the 100 meter butterfly at the same meet. A few days later, he lowered his own American Record mark in the 200 meter butterfly at 1:51.31.

2016 Summer Olympics[]

See also: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 4x100 m medley relay 3:27.95

In 2016, Shields placed second in the 100 and 200 meter butterfly events at the US Olympic Swimming Trials.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Shields won a gold medal for his efforts as part of the 4x100-meter medley relay. Specifically, he swam the butterfly leg of the relay in the prelims of the event.[2]

2016 US Winter Nationals[]

In December 2016 at the US Winter National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, Shields became the first American to swim the 100-yard butterfly faster than 44 seconds.[3] His swim set a new American record and US Open record in the race with a time of 43.84.[3][4][5] He also became the fastest American swimmer in a textile swimsuit in the race, the previous fastest swim in a textile suit was earlier the same year by Caeleb Dressel who swam a time of 44.40.[4]

2021[]

2020 US Olympic Trials[]

In 2021, Shields qualified for the US Olympic Team in the 100m butterfly. He swam a 51.19, placing second at the US Olympic Trials behind Caeleb Dressel.[6]

2020 Summer Olympics[]

See also: Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics
2020 Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 4x100 m medley relay 3:26.78

Shields qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, in the 100-meter butterfly and the 4x100-meter medley relay.[7][8] It was the second consecutive Olympic Games Shields qualified to compete in.[7]

On day six of competition, in the prelims of the 100-meter butterfly, Shields tied for 12th overall with a time of 51.57 and advanced to the semifinals.[9] Later in the evening, Shields became one of the first individuals to swim in the first male and female, mixed gender, swimming race in the history of the Olympic Games by swimming the butterfly leg of the 4x100-meter mixed medley relay in the prelims.[10] The relay ranked second for both prelims heats and advanced to the final.[9][10]

In the morning of day seven, Shields swam in the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly and did not advance to the final.[11] In the evening, Shields helped advance the 4x100-meter medley relay to the final with Hunter Armstrong, Andrew Wilson, and Blake Pieroni.[12][13]

In the final of the 4x100-meter medley relay on day nine, Caeleb Dressel substituted in for Shields on the relay and the relay finished first and won the gold medal, including Shields and the others who swam on the prelims relay.[14][15]

International Swimming League[]

Team LA Current selected Shields to compete for them in the 2021 International Swimming League.[16]

Personal bests[]

As of June 1, 2020
Long Course Meters
Event Time Meet Date
100 m butterfly 51.03 2015 World Championships August 7, 2015
200 m butterfly 1:55.09 2014 US National Championships August 6, 2014
Short Course Meters
Event Time Meet Date
50 m butterfly 22.32 2020 International Swimming League, Budapest October 31, 2020
100 m butterfly 48.47 2020 International Swimming League, Budapest November 21, 2020
200 m butterfly 1:48.66 AR 2020 International Swimming League, Budapest November 22, 2020
100 m backstroke 50.15 2013 World Cup, Dubai October 17, 2013
200 m backstroke 1:51.88 2014 World Cup, Hong Kong October 17, 2013
Short Course Yards
Event Time Meet Date
100 yard butterfly 43.84 2016 Short Course National Championships December 2, 2016
200 yard butterfly 1:38.80 Cal vs UCSD Dual Meet February 7, 2020
100 yard backstroke 44.86 2012 NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships March 22, 2012
200 yard freestyle 1:32.75 (r) 2011 NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships March 24, 2011

Personal life[]

Shields was born in Panama City, Florida, as his father was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base. When Shields was two years old, his parents moved him and his older sister, Lindy Shields, to their hometown, Huntington Beach, California. It was there in Orange County that Shields began swimming when he was eight years old. He attended Edison High School where he swam on the Varsity Swim Team all four years, receiving multiple awards, breaking the National High School Record in the 200 Yard Freestyle (1:33.83), and ending his high school career with an induction into the Edison High School Hall of Fame in 2009.

Shields graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in religious studies.

See also[]

  • California Golden Bears
  • List of University of California, Berkeley alumni

References[]

  1. ^ "2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (swimming) – Men's 100 metre butterfly (final)". Omega Timing. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  2. ^ Albano, Dan (August 14, 2016). "Swim: Ex-Edison star Tom Shields claims gold medal at Rio Olympics". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Brien, Taylor (December 2, 2016). "Tom Shields Becomes First Man To Break 44 Seconds In 100 Fly SCY". Swimming World. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Neidigh, Lauren (December 2, 2016). "Tom Shields Throws Down 43.8 100 Fly For New American, U.S. Open Record". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "Tom Shields sets American record in 100-yard butterfly". Associated Press. December 3, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 100m Butterfly Final Results". Omega Timing. June 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Szabo, Matt (June 22, 2021). "Former Edison High swimmer Tom Shields makes his second Olympics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Molski, Max (July 22, 2021). "Complete List of US Olympians Competing in Tokyo Games". WTVJ. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Anderson, Jared (July 29, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 6 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Goodman, Eric (July 29, 2021). "Watch the first mixed-gender swimming race in Olympics history". NBC Olympics. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  11. ^ Pollard, James (July 29, 2021). "Ryan Murphy, Lilly King, Annie Lazor Medal for US Swimming". NBC 10. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  12. ^ Anderson, Jared (July 30, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 7 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  13. ^ De George, Matthew (July 30, 2021). "Olympics: Italy Set Pace in Men's Medley Relay; U.S. Sneaks in as Seventh Seed". Swimming World. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  14. ^ Curtis, Jake (August 1, 2021). "Cal at the Olympics: Ryan Murphy, Tom Shields Get Gold; Abbey Weitzeil Gets Silver". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  15. ^ Albano, Dan (August 2, 2021). "Former Edison swimmer Tom Shields earns second Olympic gold for Team USA". Orange County Register. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  16. ^ Penland, Spencer (August 1, 2021). "ISL Season 3: Free Agency Period Closed After 36 Free Agent Signings In July". SwimSwam. Retrieved August 2, 2021.

External links[]

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