Roland Matthes

Roland Matthes

Roland Matthes competing at the Deutsche Hallenmeisterschaften on 1968-04-13 in Rostock
Personal information
Full name	Roland Matthes
Nickname(s)	"Rolls-Royce of Swimming"
Nationality	East Germany
Born	17 November 1950 (1950-11-17) Pößneck, Thüringen
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	74 kilograms (160 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Backstroke
Club	Sportclub Turbine Erfurt
Medal record Men's swimming Competitor for East Germany Olympic Games Gold 1968 Mexico City 100 m backstroke Gold 1968 Mexico City 200 m backstroke Gold 1972 Munich 100 m backstroke Gold 1972 Munich 200 m backstroke Silver 1968 Mexico City 4×100 m medley Silver 1972 Munich 4×100 m medley Bronze 1972 Munich 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 1976 Montreal 100 m backstroke World Championships (LC) Gold 1973 Belgrad 100 m backstroke Gold 1973 Belgrad 200 m backstroke Gold 1975 Cali 100 m backstroke Silver 1973 Belgrad 4×100 m medley Bronze 1973 Belgrad 4×100 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Gold 1970 Barcelona 100 m backstroke Gold 1970 Barcelona 200 m backstroke Gold 1970 Barcelona 4x100 m medley Gold 1974 Vienna 100 m backstroke Gold 1974 Vienna 200 m backstroke Silver 1970 Barcelona 100 m freestyle Silver 1974 Vienna 100 m butterfly Bronze 1970 Barcelona 4x100 m freestyle Bronze 1970 Barcelona 4x200 m freestyle Bronze 1974 Vienna 4x100 m freestyle

Roland Matthes (born 17 November 1950 in Pößneck, Thuringia) is a German Olympic backstroke swimmer.

Swimming career

Roland Matthes is the most successful backstroke swimmer of all times. In a period of seven years (April 1967 to August 1974) he won all backstroke competitions he entered. He won four European Championships and three World Championships in a row, and swam 21 world records. Additionally he also held the European records in 100 meters freestyle, 200 meters medley, and 100 meters butterfly. He was trained by Marlies Grohe.

As an Olympian in 1968 (Mexico), 1972 (München), and 1976 he won a total of eight medals (4 × Gold, 2 × Silver, 2 × Bronze): In the Olympic Games from 1968 and 1972 he won Gold in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters backstroke, while in 1976 he won the Bronze medal in 100 meters backstroke. In addition to these individual events, he also won the 4 x 100 meters team medley Silver in 1968 and 1972, and a Bronze medal for the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle event.

In 1973 in Belgrade he became the first World Champion holding the titles in both the 100 meters and 200 meters backstroke. Additionally he won Silver in the 4 x 100 meters team medley and Bronze in the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle.

Two years later in 1975 he successfully defended his world title in 100 meters backstroke in Cali, Colombia.

In the European Championships in 1970 in Barcelona and 1974 in Vienna he won all four titles for the 100 and 200 meters backstroke. Additionally, in Barcelona he won the individual Silver for 100 meters freestyle, Gold with the 4 x 100 meters team medley, and Bronze with both the 4 x 100 meters and 4 x 200 freestyle teams. In Vienna, he also won the individual Silver for 100 meters butterfly, and Bronze with the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle.

In the years 1967 to 1971, and in 1973 and 1975, for a total of seven times, he was elected Athlete of the Year in the former German Democratic Republic. 1981 he was entered into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

References

• Roland Matthes on ISHOF
• sports-reference
• Roland Matthes in the International Swimming Hall of Fame [1]
• Roland Matthes's entry in the German Wikipedia de:Roland Matthes

Records
Preceded by Charles Hickcox	Men's 100 metre backstroke world record holder (long course) 21 September 1967 – 18 July 1976	Succeeded by John Naber
Preceded by –	Men's 200 metre backstroke world record holder (long course) 2 September 1972 – 19 June 1976	Succeeded by John Naber
Awards
Preceded by Frank Wiegand	East German Sportsman of the Year 1967 – 1971	Succeeded by Wolfgang Nordwig
Preceded by Wolfgang Nordwig	East German Sportsman of the Year 1973	Succeeded by Hans-Georg Aschenbach
Preceded by Hans-Georg Aschenbach	East German Sportsman of the Year 1975	Succeeded by Waldemar Cierpinski