Danyon Loader

Danyon Loader
ONZM
Personal information
Full nameDanyon Joseph Loader
Born (1975-04-21) 21 April 1975 (age 49)[1]
Timaru, New Zealand[1]
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight84 kg (185 lb)[1]
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportSwimming
Event(s)Freestyle, butterfly
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta 400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1992 Barcelona 200 m butterfly
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1994 Rome 200 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Rome 200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Rome 400 m freestyle
Pan Pacifics
Gold medal – first place 1993 Kobe 200 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 1995 Atlanta 200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1995 Atlanta 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Kobe 100 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Kobe 4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Atlanta 4x100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Atlanta 4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Fukuoka 4x100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Fukuoka 4x200 m freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria 200 m butterfly
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria 400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria 4x100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria 4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Victoria 200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4x200 m freestyle

Danyon Joseph Loader ONZM (born 21 April 1975) is an Olympic champion, former world record holder swimmer from New Zealand, based in Dunedin. He remains the national record holder in the 400 metre freestyle short course.[2]

He swam for New Zealand at two Summer Olympics (1992, 1996) and three Commonwealth Games (1990, 1994 and 1998).

At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he garnered a silver medal in the 200 metre butterfly. In 1996 in Atlanta, Loader won two gold medals: in the 200 and 400 metre freestyle. He set world records in the short course 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle.[3] In the 1997 New Year Honours, Loader was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to swimming,[4] and he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2003.[3]

In December 2012, Loader starred in an online video campaign supporting same-sex marriage, alongside New Zealand singers Anika Moa, Hollie Smith, and Boh Runga, as well as past Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d "Kiwi best bet". swimnews.com. Swimnews Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  2. ^ "17 January 2022 SC Record Summary" (PDF). Swimming New Zealand. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Danyon Loader". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  4. ^ "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Marriage equality 'about love'". 3 News NZ. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.