Robert de Castella
Encyclopedia
Robert Francois de Castella, MBE
(born 27 February 1957 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. He is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs and inner calm. He holds the Oceania
n record for the marathon.
in the 1981 New York City Marathon
. It later emerged that the New York course was about 148 metres short. De Castella's time was later ratified as the world record.
in Brisbane
. At the start of the race, Tanzania
n competitors Shahanga and Ikangaa raced to the lead and were 50m ahead of the pack after five minutes. After the 20 km mark, this gap had widened to several hundred meters. By the 23 km mark, Ikangaa had taken the lead from his compatriot, with de Castella in the main pack some 250m behind, but closing. de Castella passed the now tiring Shahanga at the 38 km mark, and in the next kilometer drew level with Ikangaa then took the lead. However Ikangaa was not done yet, and re-took the lead slightly. The duel continued for the remainder of the race. Eventually de Castella pulled away, and won by 80m in a time of 2:09:18, 12 seconds ahead of Ikangaa. Briton Mike Gratton
finished 3rd in 2hrs 12min, 6sec, and Shahanga faded to finish 6th. The race finished on the streets of Brisbane, not in the main stadium.
gold medal when he won the marathon in 1983
, beating Ethiopian Kebede Balcha by 24 seconds.
. The race was also televised live back to Australia. De Castella's time was, at that point, the fourth fastest in history.
marathon. He ran comfortably in the main group until about 33 kilometres, when he slowed down to drink water. At the same time, the leading runners picked up speed and de Castella suddenly found himself out of contention. He accelerated during the final kilometres to finish fifth. After the race, he explained that he had never been in top shape during the 1984 season.
, winning in 2:10:15.
. He won the Australian national title once as a junior and four times as a senior, along with five other podium finishes. He competed eight times at the World Cross Country Championships
from 1977 to 1986, finishing in the top 20 five times.
He retired from the sport in 1993 and lives in Canberra
.
and subsequently became executive director of Focus On You, a company focusing on corporate and community health and fitness. He has also been actively involved in other organisations dedicated to encouraging healthy living for both children and adults.
In 2003, de Castella launched "deeks", a specialist chain of grain and gluten free bakeries & cafés. De Castella has been part of a long-running advertising campaign for the multi-vitamin tablet "Centrum".
. Choosing to move rather than rebuild, he now lives in a nearby suburb. He later helped with the taskforce established for the reconstruction of areas worst affected by the fires.
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 27 February 1957 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. He is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs and inner calm. He holds the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
n record for the marathon.
Early life
De Castella was born of Swiss-Italian descent and was the oldest of seven children. He came from a family where sport was a way of life. His father Rolet ran marathons at 59 years of age, and his mother Anne was a state-level tennis player. De Castella was an outstanding track athlete as a teenager and trained under Pat Clohessy from the age of 14.1981 Fukuoka Marathon
De Castella first came to international attention when he won the 1981 Fukuoka Marathon in a time of 2:08:18, which was the fastest time recorded for an out-and-back course. It was not initially known to be a world best time, because his time was 5 seconds more than the time set by Alberto SalazarAlberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar is an American marathon runner of the 1980s. Born in Cuba, Salazar emigrated to the United States with his family. They ultimately moved to Wayland, Massachusetts, where Salazar competed in track and field in high school...
in the 1981 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
. It later emerged that the New York course was about 148 metres short. De Castella's time was later ratified as the world record.
1982 Commonwealth Games Marathon
De Castella was the favourite to win the marathon at the 1982 Commonwealth Games1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. At the start of the race, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n competitors Shahanga and Ikangaa raced to the lead and were 50m ahead of the pack after five minutes. After the 20 km mark, this gap had widened to several hundred meters. By the 23 km mark, Ikangaa had taken the lead from his compatriot, with de Castella in the main pack some 250m behind, but closing. de Castella passed the now tiring Shahanga at the 38 km mark, and in the next kilometer drew level with Ikangaa then took the lead. However Ikangaa was not done yet, and re-took the lead slightly. The duel continued for the remainder of the race. Eventually de Castella pulled away, and won by 80m in a time of 2:09:18, 12 seconds ahead of Ikangaa. Briton Mike Gratton
Mike Gratton
Michael Colin Gratton is a former elite long distance runner from England, and a past winner of the London Marathon. A member of the Kent athletics club Invicta AC, he gained a bronze medal in the 1982 Commonwealth Games marathon...
finished 3rd in 2hrs 12min, 6sec, and Shahanga faded to finish 6th. The race finished on the streets of Brisbane, not in the main stadium.
1983 IAAF World Championships
De Castella won Australia's first athletic World ChampionshipsIAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
gold medal when he won the marathon in 1983
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
, beating Ethiopian Kebede Balcha by 24 seconds.
1983 Rotterdam Marathon
De Castella won the 1983 Rotterdam Marathon won in 2:08:37, defeating a deep field that included the previously unbeaten Alberto Salazar and Carlos LopesCarlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
. The race was also televised live back to Australia. De Castella's time was, at that point, the fourth fastest in history.
1984 Olympic Games
De Castella was the favourite for the 1984 Olympic Games1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
marathon. He ran comfortably in the main group until about 33 kilometres, when he slowed down to drink water. At the same time, the leading runners picked up speed and de Castella suddenly found himself out of contention. He accelerated during the final kilometres to finish fifth. After the race, he explained that he had never been in top shape during the 1984 season.
1986 Commonwealth Games
De Castella defended his Commonwealth Games title in Edinburgh1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
, winning in 2:10:15.
Cross country running
In addition to marathon running, de Castella was also an accomplished cross country runnerCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
. He won the Australian national title once as a junior and four times as a senior, along with five other podium finishes. He competed eight times at the World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
from 1977 to 1986, finishing in the top 20 five times.
Later career
De Castella failed to finish the marathon at the 1987 World Athletics Championships. and never again placed in a major marathon. He represented Australia at the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics, competing in four straight Olympic Games. He finished in the top ten in three Olympics, but never won a medal.He retired from the sport in 1993 and lives in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
Career after marathon racing
From 1990 to 1995, de Castella was the director of the Australian Institute of SportAustralian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
and subsequently became executive director of Focus On You, a company focusing on corporate and community health and fitness. He has also been actively involved in other organisations dedicated to encouraging healthy living for both children and adults.
In 2003, de Castella launched "deeks", a specialist chain of grain and gluten free bakeries & cafés. De Castella has been part of a long-running advertising campaign for the multi-vitamin tablet "Centrum".
Personal life
De Castella was married to former champion triathlete Gaylene Clews. He lost his family home, along with many of his medals and other citations, in the 2003 Canberra bushfires2003 Canberra bushfires
The Canberra bushfires of 2003 caused severe damage to the outskirts of Canberra, the Australian capital city. Almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory’s pasture, forests and nature parks were severely damaged, and most of the renowned Mount Stromlo Observatory was destroyed...
. Choosing to move rather than rebuild, he now lives in a nearby suburb. He later helped with the taskforce established for the reconstruction of areas worst affected by the fires.
Achievements in sports
- 1979 - won the Victorian Championship and the Australian marathon title.
- 1980 - 10th in the 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer OlympicsThe 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
marathon in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. - 1981 - won the Fukuoka MarathonFukuoka MarathonThe , held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an international men's marathon race established in 1947. It is usually held on the first Sunday in December.The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.-Men's winners:Winners of the...
in 2h 08'18" (world recordMarathon world best progressionThis list is a chronological progression of record times for the marathon. World records in the marathon are now ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics. Awaiting ratification, the IAAF world record for men is...
from 1981 to 1984) - 1981 - won and set fastest time of 40min 13" in City to Surf, Sydney. (this time bettered in 1991)
- 1982 - won the 1982 Commonwealth Games1982 Commonwealth GamesThe 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
marathon in BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 2h 09'18" - 1983 - won the Rotterdam MarathonRotterdam MarathonThe Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World...
in 2h 08'37" - 1983 - won the 1983 World Championships in Athletics1983 World Championships in AthleticsThe inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
marathon in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in 2h 10'03" - 1984 - 5th in the Olympic MarathonAthletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's marathonThese are the official results of the Men's Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, held on Sunday August 12, 1984. The race started on 17.00h local time. A total number of 78 athletes completed the race, with Dieudonné LaMothe from Haiti finishing in last position in...
in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... - 1984 - 3rd in the Chicago MarathonChicago MarathonThe Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
in 2h 09'09" - 1985 - 3rd in the Chicago Marathon in 2h 08'48"
- 1986 - won the 1986 Commonwealth Games1986 Commonwealth GamesThe 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
marathon in EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in 2h 10'15" - 1986 - won the Boston marathonBoston MarathonThe Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in 2h 07'51" - 1988 - 4th in the Tokyo International Marathon in 2h 08'49"
- 1988 - 8th in the 1988 Summer Olympics1988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
marathon in SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world... - 1991 - won the Rotterdam Marathon in 2h 09'42"
- 1992 - finished 26th in Olympic Marathon, Barcelona
- 2000 - awarded the Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports MedalThe Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
.
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing
Records
As at May 2009, de Castella still held the following records:- Australian U20 10,000m - 28.54.4 on 16 Dec 1976 in Melbourne
- Australian 20 km Track - 58.37.2 on 17 Apr 1982 in Rome
- Australian 1 hr - 20,516m on 17 Apr 1982 in Rome
- Australian All Comers Marathon - 2h, 09' 18" in Brisbane Commonwealth Games 1982
- Australian Marathon - 2h 07' 51" at the 1986 Boston Marathon
Other awards
- 1983 - Australian of the YearAustralian of the YearSince 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
- 2000 - Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports MedalThe Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
- 2001 - Australian Centenary Medal