Matt Walker (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Benedict Walker MBE
(born 25 April 1978 in Stockport
, England
) is a British
swimmer
who has participated in three Paralympic Games
, winning eleven medals. He competes in the S7 (butterfly
and freestyle), SM7 (medley
) and SB7 (breaststroke
) classifications.
in Melbourne
, where he was the only disabled swimmer representing England.
, in Sydney
. In all he took home three medals from these games, a bronze in the 100 m breaststroke SB7, silver in the 50 m freestyle S7 and gold in the 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts. As part of the gold medal winning relay team, which also included Jody Cundy
, Giles Long
and David Roberts
, he set a new world record time of 4:06.85.
In the 2004 Summer Paralympics
, in Athens
, Walker won a further two individual medals, silvers in both the 50 and 100 m S7 freestyle events. He was again part of the gold medal winning 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts relay team, which also included Roberts, Graham Edmunds
and Robert Welbourn
, that set a new world record of 3:59.62.
Beijing 2008
was Walker's third appearance at a Paralympics, and his most successful to date with five medals won. He medalled in both the 50 and 100 m S7 freestyle events, as he had done in Athens, and picked up medals in butterfly and medley events for the first time, winning silver in the 50 m S7 butterfly, with a European record time of 32.24 seconds, and bronze in the 200 m individual medley SM7. Competing alongside David Roberts
, Robert Welbourn
and Graham Edmunds
, Walker won a gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts for the third time in as many Games. This meant that he has now won eleven Paralympic medals, with all of his silver and bronze medals being won individually and all three of his golds being in relay events.
Walker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 25 April 1978 in Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who has participated in three Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, winning eleven medals. He competes in the S7 (butterfly
Butterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
and freestyle), SM7 (medley
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
) and SB7 (breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
) classifications.
Career
Walker's first international medal came with a bronze in the 100 m breaststroke at the 1997 European Championships in Spain. Since then he has gone on to win four further European Championship medals and eight World Championship medals. He also won a bronze medal in the 50 m freestyle and finished fourth in the 100 m freestyle, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where he was the only disabled swimmer representing England.
Paralympics
Walker competed in the Paralympics for the first time during the 2000 games2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
, in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. In all he took home three medals from these games, a bronze in the 100 m breaststroke SB7, silver in the 50 m freestyle S7 and gold in the 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts. As part of the gold medal winning relay team, which also included Jody Cundy
Jody Cundy
Jody Alan Cundy MBE is an English cyclist and former swimmer.-Biography:Born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, he is now based in Manchester where he trains with the Great Britain Cycling squad. Cundy was born with a deformed foot, which was amputated when he was three years old...
, Giles Long
Giles Long
Giles Bruce Long MBE , is a retired British swimmer.Long's international swimming career highlights began when he won gold in the 100 m butterfly event at the 1994 World Championships, setting a world record in the process, in the S8 disability category...
and David Roberts
David Roberts (swimmer)
David Evan Roberts CBE , is a Welsh swimmer. An eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist, he is one of Great Britain's most successful Paralympians ever.-Swimming career:...
, he set a new world record time of 4:06.85.
In the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
, in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Walker won a further two individual medals, silvers in both the 50 and 100 m S7 freestyle events. He was again part of the gold medal winning 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts relay team, which also included Roberts, Graham Edmunds
Graham Edmunds
Graham Edmunds is a British swimmer who has competed in two Paralympic Games, winning two gold medals in world record times...
and Robert Welbourn
Robert Welbourn
Robert Welbourn is a British Paralympian swimmer. He was born in Chesterfield. He began his swimming career at Deeping Swimming Club in Deeping St. James....
, that set a new world record of 3:59.62.
Beijing 2008
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
was Walker's third appearance at a Paralympics, and his most successful to date with five medals won. He medalled in both the 50 and 100 m S7 freestyle events, as he had done in Athens, and picked up medals in butterfly and medley events for the first time, winning silver in the 50 m S7 butterfly, with a European record time of 32.24 seconds, and bronze in the 200 m individual medley SM7. Competing alongside David Roberts
David Roberts (swimmer)
David Evan Roberts CBE , is a Welsh swimmer. An eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist, he is one of Great Britain's most successful Paralympians ever.-Swimming career:...
, Robert Welbourn
Robert Welbourn
Robert Welbourn is a British Paralympian swimmer. He was born in Chesterfield. He began his swimming career at Deeping Swimming Club in Deeping St. James....
and Graham Edmunds
Graham Edmunds
Graham Edmunds is a British swimmer who has competed in two Paralympic Games, winning two gold medals in world record times...
, Walker won a gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts for the third time in as many Games. This meant that he has now won eleven Paralympic medals, with all of his silver and bronze medals being won individually and all three of his golds being in relay events.
Walker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
See also
- List of IPC world records in swimming
- Swimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics comprised a total of 169 events, 91 for men and 78 for women. Swimmers were classified according to the extent and type of their disability.- Men's events :- Women's events :...
- Swimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in the Olympic Aquatic Centre was competed in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly , the breaststroke and individual medley ....
- Swimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...