Darian Roy Townsend (born 28 August 1984) was a competition
swimmer
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
who swam for the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...
and a
2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay who competed for
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. He became a U.S. citizen during the summer of 2014 and has subsequently represented the United States in international events. After retiring from elite competition, he later worked as a swimming coach in the
Tucson
Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...
area.
[
He was born in ]Pinetown
Pinetown is a city that forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, based just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The city is situated 16 km (10 mi) north-west of Durban and 64 km (40 mi) south-east of Pieterm ...
, KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...
, South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, on 28 August 1984, and attended Merchiston Preparatory School and Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College is a State school, semi-private English language, English-medium high school for boys situated in the city of Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest boys' high school i ...
, where he matriculated in 2002. He participated at a high level in water polo
Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
.[ In high school, he swam for the Seals Pietermaritzburg, where he was coached by Wayne Riddin and Graham Hill. During his high school years, he won eight school championships, each in record times. He captured first place in the U16 School Championships in the 200 free with a time of 1:49.00, the 200 IM with a time of 2:00.00 and in the 100 back with a time of 56.4 seconds. He received first-place finishes in the U17 School Championships in the 200 IM, 100 breast, and the 50 fly.]
2004 Athens Olympic gold
At the age of 19 on August 15, 2004, Townsend was a member of the South African men's 4×100 metre freestyle relay team that won gold and broke the world record at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece.
The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...
in Athens, Greece. The Olympic 4x100 meter Olympic gold medal South African relay team consisted of Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Townsend, and Ryk Neethling.[
As one of the 4x100 relay events faster South African swimmers, Roland Schoeman's opening leg opened up a small lead that remained throughout the race defeating the second place Netherlands teams by a second at the finish and more decisively defeating the United States team which took the bronze, but had often dominated the event. As anchor, Ryk Neethling swam the fastest time of the South African relay team, cementing the win in a close finish.][Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes]
Darian Townsend
Retrieved 20 July 2014.
Townsend competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics for South Africa in the 200 meter freestyle, 4x100 and 4x200 meter freestyle relays, the 200 meter individual medley and the 4x100 meter medley relay.[ In the 2012 London Olympics, he competed in the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays, and the 200 meter individual medley. His best finish was in the 4x100 meter relay where he placed fifth.][
]
College swimming
Florida
He first attended the University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
and competed for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in 2005 and 2006, where he was trained and managed by Head Coach Gregg Troy.[ At Florida, he was a 2005 NCAA Champion in the 800 Freestyle Relay. In the SEC Conference, he was a 2005 SEC Champion in the 200 freestyle, the 800 freestyle relay that set U.S. Open, NCAA, and SEC records, the 400 freestyle and medley relay. While at Florida, he was a six time All American .][
]
University of Arizona
From 2006-2008, he swam for the University of Arizona Wildcats, under American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame Coach Frank Busch, and Assistant Coach Rick DeMont
Richard James DeMont (born April 21, 1956) is an American former competition swimming (sport), swimmer, world champion, and former world record-holder in multiple events. Despite placing first in the 400-meter freestyle at the 1972 Summer Olymp ...
. DeMont had been a 1500 and 400-meter world record holder, a 1972 Olympian who initially won the 400-meter Olympic competition, and had excelled as a former University of Arizona swimming competitor.[
During his first year with Arizona, Townsend captured the 200-meter freestyle NCAA championship and the 800-meter freestyle relay NCAA championship in 2006, helping the Arizona men finish third as a team. In 2008 with Arizona, Townsend won a national title in the 200-meter individual medley and competed as a member of the 400-meter free and 400 medley National Championship relay teams.][DeMont coached Townsend at Arizona in ]
International competition
In international competition, Townsend won five medals including two golds at the All Africa games in Algiers and Maputo in 2007 and 2011 in freestyle and medley events.[
In 2014, Townsend became a US citizen. He competed for the US at the 2015 Pan American Games, capturing a silver and bronze medal in relays. At the 2014 Short-Course World Championships in Doha, while again competing for the U.S., he won five medals, including two golds in relays.]
In 2017, Darian retired from competitive swimming in 2017, though in one of his last events as an elite swimmer, he competed in the 2017 Midmar Mile.[
]
Coaching
Shortly after graduating the University Arizona, he took graduate courses at Arizona and assisted with coaching at Tucson Ford Aquatics where he also continued his training.
Townsend has served as Head Coach of the YMCA West Side Silver Fins. He has also served as the Senior Aquatics Director for the Southwest Valley Family YMCA in Phoenix, Arizona.
He has been active in United States Masters Swimming. He has held over 25 Master’s age group-based World Records. In 2018, Townsend was recognized as one of ''Swimming World'' magazine’s Top 12 World Masters Swimmers of the Year, having previously received the honor in both 2014 and 2016.[
]
Honors
In August, 2024, he was inducted into the South Africa Sports Hall of Fame, along with the three other swimmers who won the gold medal in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
See also
* List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
* List of University of Florida Olympians
* List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
* World record progression 200 metres individual medley
* World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
References
External links
*
Olympedia Biography, Darian Townsend
University of Florida Gaters Swimming Roster, Darian Townsend, 2005-6
University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Four Former Wildcats Inducted into South African Sports Hall of Fame, Darien Townsend
{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Darian
1984 births
Living people
Alumni of Maritzburg College
American swimming coaches
Arizona Wildcats men's swimmers
Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for South Africa
Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in swimming
Florida Gators men's swimmers
World record setters in swimming
South African male freestyle swimmers
South African male medley swimmers
Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for South Africa
Olympic swimmers for South Africa
People from Pinetown
South African people of British descent
Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists in swimming
African Games gold medalists for South Africa
Swimmers at the 2007 All-Africa Games
Swimmers at the 2011 All-Africa Games
African Games silver medalists for South Africa
African Games bronze medalists for South Africa
Swimmers at the 2015 Pan American Games
Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in swimming
Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in swimming
Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
21st-century South African sportsmen
African Games bronze medalists in swimming
African Games silver medalists in swimming
African Games gold medalists in swimming