Mark Foster (born May 12, 1970 in Billericay, Essex,
England) is a British swimmer, specialising in
butterfly and freestyle at 50 metres.
He is a specialist short course (25 metre pool)
swimmer. In terms of medals and longevity
(1986-2006)(2007-?), Foster is amongst the most
successful British swimmers of all-time. He made a
remarkable comeback at the national championships in
July 2007 winning both events he competed in after
barely training.He did the fifth best time this year
in the world at 50 meters freestyle and hinted he
may continue.
Mark Foster was educated at Alleyn Court prep school
in Westcliff on Sea, Millfield School, and Southend
High School for boys where he excelled in athletics,
football and tennis. First selected for the British
team in 1985, Foster made steady progress in a
discipline traditionally associated with slightly
older athletes.
His breakthrough came in 1990 when he won his first
individual international medal - bronze - in the
Commonwealth Games in Auckland. He finished the 50
metres freestyle with a time of 23.16 seconds. He
had previously won bronze as part of the 100 metre
freestyle relay in the Edinburgh games four years
previous, but cites the 1990 medal as his first
great sporting moment.
Success followed rapidly, and in the next few years
Foster broke the World Short Course freestyle record
four times, the World Short Course butterfly record
twice, and once setting the World Long Course
butterfly record (in 1996) with a time of 24.07
seconds.
Despite success at Commonwealth, European and World
championship level, Olympic titles eluded him, and
he has never medalled. Some have suggested that he
has never quite achieved his full potential, arguing
his maverick approach to training and preparation
cost him a higher world ranking.
In 2004, Foster was to face the disappointment of
not being selected for the Olympic Games. At the
British Olympic Trials, he won the 50 free in 22.49
seconds, well under the Olympic qualifying standard
but seven hundredths of a second below the standard
National Team Director Bill Sweetenham had set for
inclusion in the British Olympic Team. Foster has
openly criticised Sweetenham's management style and
has trained out with the British team's auspices.
Nonetheless he was to respond to his omission from
the Olympic squad with a stunning gold in the World
Short Course Championships in Indianapolis later
that year. In the 50 metre freestyle he touched in
21.58 seconds, ahead of Stefan Nystrand of Sweden.
Although Mark announced his retirement from swimming
after the European short course championships in
April 2006 at the age of 35, he still occasionally
competes at invitational meets.
His tally includes:
10 Gold, 6 Silver and 6 Bronze Medals at European
Short-Course championships, 6 Gold, 3 Silver and 1
Bronze Medal at World Short-Course Championships,
and 2 long-course silver medals (one European, 1
World Championships). He also won 2 Gold and 4
Bronze Medals at Commonwealth level (Long-Course);
Mark also appeared on the ITV show beat the star
first broadcasted on April 4, 2008 in which he won
18-3, appearing as the 'star'.
