Corey Main

Corey Charles Garth Main (born 27 February 1995) is a New Zealand swimmer who has qualified to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the men's 100 metre backstroke.

Personal life

Main was born in Auckland on 27 February 1995.^[1][2] Of Māori descent, Main affiliates to the Ngāti Porou and Ngāpuhi iwi.^[3] He attended Macleans College in Auckland and now studies at the University of Florida on a scholarship, where he trains under Gregg Troy and competes for the Florida Gators swimming team.^[2]

Career

Main is a member of the Howick Pakuranga swimming club.^[2] He competed at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games held in the Isle of Man, where he won four medals in the swimming events.^[4] Main won gold medals in the 50 metre,^[5] 100 metre,^[6] and 200 metre backstroke events,^[7] and was part of the New Zealand team that won the bronze medal in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay.^[8]

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland, Main competed in the 100 metre and 200 metre backstroke and swam the backstroke leg in the 4 × 100 metre medley relay.^[2] He made the final in both of his individual events, finishing fourth in the 200 metre backstroke.^[2][9]

In 2015 he competed at the 16th FINA World Championships held in Kazan, Russia. He reached the semifinals of the 200 metre backstroke, finishing 16th overall.^[10] He also competed in the 100 metre backstroke, finishing 22nd in the heats and not advancing,^[11] and was part of the New Zealand team which placed 16th in the men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay.^[12]

At the 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials held in Toronto, Ontario, the second official trial for New Zealand swimmers to meet the qualifying times for 2016 Summer Olympics, Main completed his heat of the 100 metre backstroke event in a time of 54.27 seconds, faster than 54.36 seconds FINA A qualifying standard for the Rio Games.^[13]

On 15 April 2016 Main was named as one of five Olympic debutants in a squad of eight swimmers to represent New Zealand at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he competed in both the 100m and 200m Backstroke events.^[1][14][15] Main won his men's 100m backstroke heat with a time of 53.99 seconds to qualify for the semifinals. He finished 15th overall in the semifinals with a time of 54.29 seconds, but did not progress to the final. In the men's 200m backstroke event Main qualified 15th fastest for the semifinals with a time of 1:57.51 however his time of 1:58.08 was not enough to take him through into the final.^[16][17]

References