Iain Percy facts for kids
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| Full name | Iain Bryden Percy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 March 1976 Southampton, United Kingdom |
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| Country |  Great Britain |
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| Sport | Men's sailing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Hayling Island Sailing Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Iain Bryden Percy (born March 21, 1976) is a famous English sailor. He is known for winning two gold medals for Great Britain in the Olympic Games. He has also won many other medals in world and European championships.
Contents
Olympic Games Success
Iain Percy has had an amazing career in the Olympics, competing in four different games and winning three medals.
Early Olympic Career
Percy's first big Olympic moment was at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He competed by himself in a type of boat called the Finn class and won a gold medal. He was given his medal in a special ceremony on the steps of the famous Sydney Opera House.
Four years later, he competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. This time, he sailed in a two-person boat called the Star class with his partner Steve Mitchell. They finished in 6th place. Percy and Mitchell also won a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships and a gold medal at the 2005 European Championships.
Teaming Up with Andrew Simpson
Percy later began sailing with a new partner, Andrew Simpson. Together, they became a very successful team in the Star class. They won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships and a gold medal at the 2009 European Championships.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Percy and Simpson won another gold medal. This was Percy's second Olympic gold. In 2010, they also won the Star World Championships in Brazil.
Their final Olympic competition together was the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In a very close and exciting race, they won the silver medal. They were just beaten by the Swedish team of Fredrik Lööf and Max Salminen.
When he is not competing, Percy is a member of the Hayling Island Sailing Club and often sails there.
The America's Cup Challenge
In 2005, Percy took a break from Olympic sailing to try a different kind of competition: the America's Cup. This is one of the oldest and most famous sailing races in the world. He joined the Italian team +39 Challenge as the helmsman, which is the person who steers the boat.
Later, he joined the British team, TEAMORIGIN, and then the Swedish team, Artemis Racing. He became the Sailing Team Director for Artemis Racing for the 35th America's Cup. Since 2017, he has been the CEO of Artemis Technologies, a company that develops new technology for ships.
Awards and Recognition
Because of his incredible achievements in sailing, Iain Percy has received special honors from the United Kingdom.
- In 2005, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) after his first Olympic gold medal.
- In 2009, he was given an even higher honor, becoming an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
He has also been given honorary degrees from the University of Chichester and the University of Bristol to recognize his amazing career.
See also
In Spanish: Iain Percy para niños
