James Hickman

Personal information
Full name	James Hickman
National team	Great Britain
Born	(1976-02-02) 2 February 1976 (age 48) Stockport, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb; 11.7 st)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Butterfly, medley
Club	City of Manchester Aquatics
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd World Championships (SC) 5 4 5 European Championships (LC) 0 2 1 European Championships (SC) 5 4 4 Commonwealth Games 1 4 3 Total 11 14 13 Men's swimming Representing  Great Britain World Championships (SC) 1997 Gothenburg 200 m butterfly 1999 Hong Kong 200 m butterfly 2000 Athens 200 m butterfly 2002 Moscow 200 m butterfly 2004 Indianapolis 200 m butterfly 1999 Hong Kong 200 m medley 2000 Athens 100 m butterfly 2000 Athens 200 m medley 2004 Indianapolis 100 m butterfly 1997 Gothenburg 4×100 m medley 1999 Hong Kong 100 m butterfly 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m medley 2000 Athens 100 m medley 2000 Athens 4×100 m medley European Championships (LC) 1999 Istanbul 100 m butterfly 2000 Helsinki 200 m butterfly 2000 Helsinki 100 m butterfly European Championships (SC) 1998 Sheffield 100 m butterfly 1998 Sheffield 200 m butterfly 1998 Sheffield 200 m medley 1999 Lisbon 200 m butterfly 2001 Antwerp 200 m butterfly 1998 Sheffield 4×50 m freestyle 1999 Lisbon 100 m butterfly 2001 Antwerp 4×50 m medley 2002 Riesa 200 m butterfly 1998 Sheffield 100 m medley 1998 Sheffield 4×50 m medley 1999 Lisbon 4×50 m medley 2001 Antwerp 100 m butterfly Representing  England Commonwealth Games 1998 Kuala Lumpur 200 m butterfly 1998 Kuala Lumpur 200 m medley 1998 Kuala Lumpur 400 m medley 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×100 m medley 2002 Manchester 4×100 m medley 1994 Victoria 200 m butterfly 1994 Victoria 4×100 m medley 2002 Manchester 200 m butterfly

James Hickman (born 2 February 1976) is a male English former competitive swimmer.

Swimming career

Hickman represented Great Britain in the Olympics, FINA world championships and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games. He became a world champion five times on the 200 m butterfly in short course (25 m), twice world record holder, Commonwealth Champion and four times European Champion. He announced his retirement from the sport in 2004. During that year he reached the semi-final of the 100 m butterfly in the 2004 Athens Olympics, finishing with a time of 53.10 seconds. He also reached the semi-final in the 2000 Sydney Olympics finishing 6th (likewise in the 200 m butterfly). His best appearance in an Olympic final came in the 1996 Atlanta Games, where he placed 7th in the 200 m butterfly.

At the ASA National British Championships he won the 100 metres butterfly title five times in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 ^[1][2][3] and the 200 metres butterfly title three times in 1994, 1998 and 1999.^[4][5][6]

Personal life

Hickman also owns a television and radio production company called Made in Manchester Productions. He set it up with Ashley Byrne (BBC broadcaster and former commercial radio boss) in May 2005. The company made From Bomb to Boom (about the Manchester bomb) for ITV1, Cartoon Kings presented by Sir David Jason (about animators Cosgrove and Hall) for ITV1 and Another Fine Mess for BBC Radio 2, presented by Sir Norman Wisdom (celebrating 80 years of Laurel and Hardy). Made in Manchester has also been commissioned to make a religious documentary for BBC Radio 4 which was broadcast in early 2007. They have also produced radio shows for BBC Radio Manchester in the Citizen Manchester Series, plus various other documentaries for the station. They have also produced "Jah Wobble's Mystical Musical Tour" for the BBC World Service, "Salt 'n' Pepa – Push it" for BBC Radio 1Xtra and also "Brass Britain" and a documentary about the Beach Boys for BBC Radio 2.

In 2008 Made in Manchester won the contract to deliver the PR and Communications for the FINA World Swimming Championships 2008 in the MEN Arena for which James was the Head of PR and Communications. The event was the first of its kind in a concert venue and won "Best Event Look" at the SportBusiness Awards 2008.

He currently works for Speedo International as the Global Sports Marketing Manager and manages the international sponsorships for the brand. He worked on London 2012 Olympics, 2013 FINA World Championships and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Hickman attended William Hulme's Grammar School and the Victoria University of Manchester.

Achievements

• Short Course World 200 m butterfly champion in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004
• Commonwealth 200 m butterfly champion – 1998
• Short Course World record holder, 100 and 200 butterfly (short course) from 1998 to 2001
• European 200 m butterfly champion in 1999 and 2001
• Great Britain Olympic team member in 1996, 2000 and 2004