James
Roberts

James Roberts is an Australian sprint freestyle athlete and two-time Olympian. Roberts attended his first Olympic Games (London 2012) in the 100-meter freestyle. His time at the trials of 47.63 remains the fourth fastest ever in a textile suit. A year after the Olympics, Roberts suffered through a back injury and when a degenerative disc injury to his lower back kept him out of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he decided to take some time out of the pool. Robert’s injury troubles weren’t over. In late 2014 he underwent the first of two shoulder reconstructions. With just over a year left before the Olympics in Rio doctors advised Roberts to aim for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. But Roberts defied his doctors’ odds and booked his ticket to Rio with a third-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle at the Australian Olympic Trials. In Rio he led off the relay in the final, helping Australia to a bronze medal. Out of the pool, James has dabbled in advertising and is now a luxury real estate agent. James has spent much of the last decade battling two auto-immune diseases but takes it in his stride as another motivator to stay healthy and strong. He enjoys beach weekends with his partner and dog in the Burleigh Heads area.