{{Short description|British race walker (born 1990)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use British English|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Tom Bosworth | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} | image = Tom_Bosworth.jpg | caption = Bosworth competing in the Men's 20km Race Walk at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro | birth_name = Thomas Stewart Bosworth | nationality = British | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|01|17}} | birth_place = Sevenoaks, England, UK | height = 1.77 m | weight = 56 kg | website = {{URL|http://www.tombosworth.com/}} | country = England, United Kingdom | sport = Race walking | event = 1mile, 3km, 5km, 10km, 20km | collegeteam = Leeds Beckett Uni | club = Tonbridge AC | coach = Andi Drake (Peter Selby) | worlds = 7th | olympics = 6th | highestranking = 2017 1Mile walk world best and 2018 3km race walk world best (indoor and outdoor) | pb = 1:19:38 for 20k | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} {{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}} {{MedalSilver|2018 Gold Coast|20 km race walk}} {{MedalCompetition|British Championships}} {{MedalSilver|2010 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2011 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalSilver|2012 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalSilver|2013 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalSilver|2014 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2015 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalSilver|2016 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2017 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2018 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2021 Manchester|5000m race walk}} {{MedalCompetition|British Indoor Championships}} {{MedalGold|2015 Sheffield|3000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2016 Sheffield|3000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2017 Sheffield|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2018 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2019 Birmingham|5000m race walk}} {{MedalGold|2020 Glasgow|5000m race walk}} }}
'''Thomas Stewart Bosworth''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 17 January 1990) is a British two-time Olympic race walker who holds three World bests, including the World Best for the 1Mile race walk, 5:31.08.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lewis|first=Tim|date=2021-07-09|title=Three Years Ago, Race Walker Tom Bosworth Tried to Take His Own Life. Now He's Competing for Medals at the Olympics|url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a36966238/race-walker-tom-bosworth/|access-date=2021-11-30|website=Esquire|language=en-GB}}</ref>
He also holds six British records, won 13 British Championships gold medals, a silver Commonwealth Games medal<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom Bosworth |url=https://teamengland.org/team-england-athletes/tom-bosworth |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Team England}}</ref> and is a World European Olympic Games finalist. Bosworth is currently ranked 1st overall in the UK for 20 km. He was also selected to carry the Olympic Torch through Potternewton, Leeds.
== Biography == Bosworth holds British records for walking 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 20 km, with his Personal Best for 20 km at 1:19:38. He first set the 20 km British record in Dudince, Slovakia in March 2016 to beat a 20 km race walk mark set by Ian McCombie in 1988, clocking 80:41 and taking 81 seconds off McCombie's record.
He is also the British record holder for the 10 km race walk, set in 2020, along with the 5000m race walk, set in Birmingham at the 2018 British indoor team trials to qualify for the World Indoor Championships. Along with the World Record for the 1 mile race walk won at London Diamond League, 2017, Bosworth is World Record holder for the 3000m indoor race walk at IAAF Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow, 2018, and the 3000m outdoor race walk at the Muller Anniversary Games, London, 2018.
He has won eight British Outdoor Championships in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=18 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=18 July 2025}}</ref> along with six British Indoor Championships, his first in 2015 followed by 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Bosworth qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-03-26 |title=Tom Bosworth claims Olympic Games spot |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-wells/sport/tom-bosworth-claims-olympic-games-spot-244552/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}</ref> after coming second at the 2021 British Athletics Marathon and 20km Walk Trial.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/56537269| title=GB Marathon Trials: Chris Thompson and Stephanie Davis take Tokyo Olympics spots| work=BBC Sport| date=26 March 2021| accessdate=26 March 2021}}</ref>
Bosworth was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to race walking.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=64269|supp=y|page=N17|date=30 December 2023}}</ref>
Bosworth retired from competition in August 2022.
== Achievements == === Medals === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Competition !Event !Medal |- |2010 |National Race Walking Championships |20 km (senior men's) |Gold |- |2011 |British Championships Outdoor |20 km |Gold |- |2012 |Aviva England Athletics U23 Championships & World Trials |10 km |Gold |- |2014 |British Championships Outdoor |20 km |Gold |- |2015 |British Championships Outdoor |5 km |Gold |- |2015 |British Championships Indoor |3 km |Gold |- |2016 |British Championships Outdoor |5 km |Gold |- |2016 |British Championships Indoor |3 km |Gold |- |2017 |British Championships Outdoor |5 km |Gold |- |2017 |British Championships Indoor |3 km |Gold |- |2018 |British Championships Outdoor |5 km |Gold |- |2018 |British Championships Indoor |5 km |Gold |- |2018 |Commonwealth Games, Australia |20 km |Silver |- |2019 |British Championships Indoor |5 km |Gold |- |2019 |European Cup, Lithuania |20 km |Team Silver |- |2020 |British Championships Indoor |5 km |Gold |- |2021 |British Championships Outdoor |5 km |Gold |}
===Records held=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Competition !Event !Time !Record |- |2017 |Muller Anniversary Games London |1 mile race walk |5:31.08 |World record |- |2018 |IAAF Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow |3 km |10:30.28 |Indoor World Record |- |2018 |Muller Anniversary Games London |3 km |10:43.84 |Outdoor World Record |- |2020 |British Indoor Championships |5 km |18:20.9 |British Record |- |2020 |England Athletics 10k Championships |10 km |39:10 |British Record |- |2018 |CWG Gold Coast Australia |20 km |1:19:38 |British Record |}
===Personal bests=== {| class="wikitable" |- !Event !Time !Venue !Date !Notes |- |1 Mile race walk |5:31.08 |London, United Kingdom |9 July 2017 |World Best |- |3000 metres race walk |10:30.28 i |Glasgow, United Kingdom |25 February 2018 |Indoor World Best |- |5000 metres race walk |18:20.20 i |Glasgow, United Kingdom |24 February 2020 |Indoor |- |10 Kilometres race walk |39:10.00 |Coventry, United Kingdom |1 March 2020 | |- |20 Kilometres race walk |1:19:38 |Gold Coast, Australia |8 April 2018 | |}
===International competitions=== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{GBR2}} |- |2009 |European Race Walking Cup (U20) |Metz, France |39th |10 km walk |52:01 |- |2011 |European Race Walking Cup |Olhão, Portugal |29th |20 km walk |1:32:48 |- |2012 |World Race Walking Cup |Saransk, Russia |72nd |20 km walk |1:28:43 |- |2013 |European Race Walking Cup |Dudince, Slovakia |31st |20 km walk |1:27:42 |- |rowspan=2|2014 |World Race Walking Cup |Taicang, China |43rd |20 km walk |1:22:53 |- |European Championships |Zurich, Switzerland |12th |20 km walk |1:23:17 |- |rowspan=2|2015 |European Race Walking Cup |Murcia, Spain |16th |20 km walk |1:23:54 |- |World Championships |Beijing, China |24th |20 km walk |1:23:58 |- |rowspan=2|2016 |World Race Walking Cup |Rome, Italy |34th |20 km walk |1:22:55 |- |Olympic Games |Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |6th |20 km walk |1:20:13 |- |rowspan=2|2017 |European Race Walking Cup |Poděbrady, Czech Republic |4th |20 km walk |1:21:21 |- |World Championships |London, United Kingdom | — |20 km walk |DQ (lifting) |- |rowspan=2|2018 |World Race Walking Cup |Taicang, China |14th |20 km walk |1:23:54 |- |European Championships |Berlin, Germany |7th |20 km walk |1:21:31 |-!colspan="6"|Representing {{ENG}} |- |rowspan=2|2019 |European Race Walking Cup |Alytus, Lithuania |4th |20 km walk |1:20:53 |- |World Championships |Doha, Qatar |7th |20 km walk |1:29:34 |- |rowspan=2|2021 |European Race Walking Cup |Poděbrady, Czech Republic |15th |20 km walk |1:22:27 |- |Olympic Games |Tokyo, Japan |25th |20 km walk |1:25:57 |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{ENG}} |- |2009 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Lugano, Switzerland |8th |10 km walk |45:29 |- |2010 |XIX Commonwealth Games |Delhi, India |11th |20 km walk |1:30:44 |- |2010 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Bedford, England |7th |20 km walk |1:28:24 |- |2012 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Lugano, Switzerland |28th |20 km walk |1:25:49 |- |2012 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |A Coruña, Spain |13th |20 km walk |1:24:49 |- |2013 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Poděbrady, Czech Republic |14th |20 km walk |1:24:44 |- |2014 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Lugano, Switzerland |21st |20 km walk |1:25:45 |- |2014 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Poděbrady, Czech Republic |10th |20 km walk |1:22:20 |- |2015 |EAA Race Walking Permit Race |Lugano, Switzerland |4th |20 km walk |1:22:33 |- |2018 |XXI Commonwealth Games |Gold Coast, Australia |2nd |20 km walk |1:19:38 |- |}
==Media and public speaking== Bosworth has made several media appearances, including his appearance on Sky TV's show “Game Changers”,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sky TV's show "Game Changers"|url=https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/39e04f1e-b53a-49bf-963b-60d445bf08a3/game-changers-39e04f1e-b53a-49bf-963b-60d445bf08a3}}</ref> commentating for the BBC at the 2014 European Athletics Championships, and again for Eurosport at the 2015 World Athletics Championships.
Championing LGBT rights and mental health in sport alongside his athletic career, Bosworth has spoken openly about both.<ref name=":0" />
Bosworth came out as gay on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show on 13 October 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/34496877|title=Tom Bosworth: British Olympics hopeful comes out as gay|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 October 2015|access-date=13 October 2015}}</ref> In the interview he explained that his family, friends and fellow sports athletes had known that he was gay for a number of years, and the coming out was to a wider audience to answer lingering questions from fans and to be himself. In the interview he told the BBC that he had been in "a really happy relationship" for the last four-and-a-half years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://instagram.com/p/8xrOTSj3Op/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/8xrOTSj3Op |archive-date=24 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Tom Bosworth & partner Harry Dineley|publisher=Tom Bosworth Instagram Account|date=13 October 2015|access-date=13 October 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He proposed to and was accepted by his now-fiancé, Harry Dineley on Copacabana Beach during the Rio Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/16/olympic-marriage-proposals-tom-bosworth-question-boyfriend|title=Olympic marriage proposals continue with Tom Bosworth popping question to boyfriend|first=Elle|last=Hunt|date=16 August 2016|via=The Guardian}}</ref>
In 2018, he said that he was ready to risk prison to defend LGBT rights in Qatar during the 2019 World Athletics Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/team-gb-tom-bosworth-qatar-world-championships-lgbt-rights-a8458706.html|title= Team GB's only gay athlete ready to risk prison to defend LGBT rights in Qatar|website= Independent.co.uk|date= 22 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-23 |title=Openly gay Team GB athlete ready to risk prison defending LGBTQ rights in Qatar |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/openly-gay-team-gb-athlete-ready-to-risk-prison-defending-lgbtq-rights-in-qatar/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In publications by the BBC, SkySports<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Williams|first=Rebecca|date=2020|title=Tom Bosworth: Team GB race walker opens up on sexuality and mental health|work=Sky Sports News|url=https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/athletics/news/29175/11959321/tom-bosworth-team-gb-race-walker-opens-up-on-sexuality-and-mental-health}}</ref> and the Telegraph among many others, Bosworth speaks about his mental health and how he overcame a period of depression. Alongside media appearances, he now also regularly visits schools and universities, to talk about his experiences as a professional athlete, LGBT equality, the importance of mental health and how sport can be of great benefit.
He has also spoken to the Culture, Media and Sport parliamentary committee, met with the Chairman of the FA to discuss homophobia in football, written piece for the Times Sport Newspaper on “drugs in sport”,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bosworth|first=Tom|date=2017|title=Drugs in Sport|work=The Times Newspaper|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/athletics/article/tom-bosworth-cheats-like-justin-gatlin-make-it-harder-for-clean-athletes-j2kz2rt03}}</ref> addressed National Governing Bodies on behalf of Sport England and spoken at Wembley for Stonewall F.C.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{World Athletics}} * {{British Athletics}} * {{Team GB}} * {{Team England|tom-bosworth}} * {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|athletics/athlete-profile-n6032450-tom-bosworth}} * {{Twitter}}
{{British Athletics Championships men's 5000 metres walk champions}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bosworth, Tom}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Sevenoaks Category:Sportspeople from Kent Category:English men race walkers Category:British men race walkers Category:Olympic men race walkers Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain Category:British Athletics Championships winners Category:English gay sportsmen Category:LGBTQ track and field athletes Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics