Robert Matthews (athlete)
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| Born | 26 May 1961 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Paralympic athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Robert Matthews MBE (born 26 May 1961) is an athlete who competes in blind middle and long distance events. He is a former British Paralympian who won eight gold medals across seven Paralympic Games. He retired in 2004 but is due to return at the 2012 Summer Paralympics as a cyclist representing New Zealand. He has been referred to as an "iconic athlete" of the Paralympic Games.
Personal life
Matthews was born in Kent.[1] He was born with the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa which he inherited from his father.[2] He started to have significant difficulties with his vision when he was 11,[2][3] losing most of his sight by age 18. From age 13 he attended a school for the partially sighted and went on to study at a college for the blind.[2] In 1993 Matthews moved to Leamington to work for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.[1]
Matthew's first wife Kath died suddenly in November 2003.[3] Kath was 38 when a blockage in the brain interfered with her breathing. Three years later he met his current wife Sarah Kerr and soon after emigrated to New Zealand to be with her.[2] The couple have two children.[1]
In 1987 Matthews became the first Paralympian to be received an MBE, and he was given an honorary master's degree from Warwick University in 2001.[4]
Matthews is a sports massage therapist and motivational speaker. His autobiography was published in 2009.[2]
Sporting career
Matthews first competed at the Paralympics in 1984 at the Stoke Mandeville/New York Games. He started off in the B1 class middle and long distance events, winning gold in all three disciplines: the 800 m, 800 m, 1,500 m, and 5,000 m. Four years later, at the Games in Seoul, he retained all three titles. He again won the 5,000 m in 1992, and finished with a silver in the 800 m and bronze in the 1,500 m. This brought his medal tally to 13, eight of which are golds.[5]
In his career Matthews has broken 22 world records. In 1986 he became the first blind runner to run the 800 m in under two minutes.[2] He is listed as one of eight "iconic athletes" in the London 2012 Guide to the Paralympic Games.[6]
Matthews retired from (track and field) athletics after failing to win a medal at the 2004 Games in Athens.[1][5] He began to concentrate on a new sport and is hoping to compete in blind cycling events at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, this time representing New Zealand.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Bob Matthews aims for eighth Paralympic Games". BBC News. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rattue, Chris (24 October 2009). "Paralympics: The blind runner with a crystal-clear vision". NZ Herald (APN Holdings NZ Limited). Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- 1 2 Rowbottom, Mike (18 September 2004). "Athletics: 'Running is like a safety valve. It helped keep me sane and it gave me a goal'". The Independent. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- ↑ "Coventry 2012 - Hall of Fame". Coventry City Council. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- 1 2 "Athlete Search Results - Robert Matthews". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- ↑ "London 2012 Guide to the Paralympic Games" (PDF). London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. 2007. p. 10. Retrieved 29 August 2012.