Jarrod Poort

Jarrod Poort (born 31 October 1994) is an Australian former competitive swimmer and two-time Olympian. Poort specialising in distance freestyle and open-water swimming competing at the international level from 2012 - 2017 on the Australian swim team.

Jarrod Poort

Personal information
Nickname(s)	"Poorty"
National team	Australia
Born	(1994-10-31) 31 October 1994 Hurstville, New South Wales
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	West Illawarra Aquatic SC
Coach	Ron Mckeon, James Greathead
Medal record Pan Pacific Championships 2014 Gold Coast 10 km open water

Poort represented Australia in the 1500 metre freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[1][2] He competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the 10-kilometre marathon swimming event.[3] In the race he built a lead of 1 minute and 20 seconds, but was caught 1 km before the finish, and finished 21st.[4] Poort trained out of Wollongong, NSW, representing West Illawarra Aquatic Swim Club and also Bronte Surf Club.

Other than his Olympic pursuits Poort notably won both the 2017 Rottenest Channel Swim and the Port to Pub swims in Perth; two of Australia's longest and toughest swims.[5] 2017 also witnessed him defend his Australian Champion 10 km title for the third year running; he then went on to narrowly take silver in the 2017 Australian Open Mens surf race at the Australian titles behind Ollie Signorini.[6]

Poort is also part of the record holding Australian team (TATTERSALLS MASTERS AUSTRALIA) whom hold the title as the fastest team across the Maui Channel. The swim starts at the pier on the island of Lanai and ends on the beach in front of the Kaanapali Beach Hotel on the island of Maui. Poort alongside Rhys Mainstone, Wallace Eggleton, George O'Brien, Ollie Signorini and fearless leader Peter Thiel hold the record in 2.45.20 for the 9.9-mile crossing.[7]

In early 2021, while on a training camp in North Avoca, Poort confirmed his abilities. Illustrating his power and athleticism with a 6-kilometre swimming session at Gosford Pool, followed by a surf session at North Avoca Beach. Jarrod wowed the crowd with a ferocious back hand turn in the surf outside Lake Street, North Avoca.