Danyon Loader

Danyon Loader
ONZM
Personal information
Full nameDanyon Joseph Loader
Born (1975-04-21) 21 April 1975 (age 51)
Timaru, New Zealand
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight84 kg (185 lb)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportSwimming
Events
Freestyle, butterfly
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1996 Atlanta200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place1996 Atlanta400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place1992 Barcelona200 m butterfly
World Championships
Silver medal – second place1994 Rome200 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place1994 Rome200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1994 Rome400 m freestyle
Pan Pacifics
Gold medal – first place1993 Kobe200 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place1995 Atlanta200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place1995 Atlanta400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1993 Kobe100 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place1993 Kobe4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1995 Atlanta4x100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1995 Atlanta4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1997 Fukuoka4x100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1997 Fukuoka4x200 m freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place1994 Victoria200 m butterfly
Silver medal – second place1994 Victoria400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place1994 Victoria4x100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place1994 Victoria4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1994 Victoria200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place1998 Kuala Lumpur4x200 m freestyle

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

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

Early life

Loader was born in Timaru to Daphne (née Robinson) and Peter Loader.

Swimming career

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.

Personal life

Loader is married to Claudia.

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.

Honours and awards

In 1990, Loader received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 1997 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to swimming, and he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2003.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "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. ↑ "Daphne LOADER Obituary". The Press. Exit Funeral Services. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Danyon Loader". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  5. ↑ "Marriage equality 'about love'". 3 News NZ. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 231. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  7. ↑ "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 15 December 2019.