The former Australia swimmer Kenneth To has died while training at a camp in the United States, aged 26.
To, who won medals for Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, fell ill during a training session at the University of Florida. According to the Hong Kong Sports Institute, he was transferred to hospital but later died.
He was in the US to prepare for next year’s Tokyo Olympics, where he was to represent Hong Kong, having switched nationalities late in 2016.
To was born in Hong Kong but moved to Australia at the age of two and was raised in Sydney, where he rose to prominence when he broke Ian Thorpe’s decade-old Australian record in the 16 years 200-metre individual medley.
He went on to compete in two world championships, in 2011 and 2013, winning gold in the men’s 4×100 medley relay in Barcelona, before featuring at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where he won gold and silver as a heat swimmer for the relay teams.
Swimming Australia’s national head coach, Jacco Verhaeren, said he was shocked and saddened by the death of To, who was “a much-loved team member with a determined spirit and wonderful personality”.
Current Australian pool star James Magnussen described To as “one of the fiercest competitors” he has ever stood next to on the blocks and who was for a long period, “pound for pound, the best swimmer in the world”.
To narrowly missed out on selection for the Australian Olympic team in 2012, but was crowned the men’s overall winner of Fina’s World Cup that year. He also held 17 Hong Kong swimming records.
Swimming NSW described To as one of the best swimmers to have passed through its doors, and he will be “remembered as much for his results in the pool, as well as being the true gentlemen he was outside of it”.
“At his peak, Kenneth was arguably, pound for pound, one of the best short-course swimmers in the world. His power at the start and skills across all four strokes were difficult to match,” a statement said.
“Everyone who ever met Kenneth will have fond memories of the time they spent with him and he will be mourned across the swimming community worldwide. We will miss you, Kenny.”