Matt Deakin facts for kids
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| Born | May 20, 1980 (age 45) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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Medal record
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Matt Deakin is an American athlete who is famous for his skills in rowing. He was born on May 20, 1980. Matt is an Olympic champion and a world champion, which means he has won gold medals at the biggest rowing competitions in the world.
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Matt Deakin's Rowing Journey
Matt Deakin was born in San Francisco, California. He grew up to become one of the best rowers in the United States. He trained hard and became a top athlete in the sport of rowing.
Olympic Gold Medal
One of Matt's biggest achievements was at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece. He was part of the American men's eight team. The "men's eight" is a type of rowing boat where eight rowers work together with one person steering, called a coxswain.
His team won a gold medal at these Olympics. They finished the race in an amazing time of 5 minutes and 19.85 seconds. This was a new world record at the time! Winning an Olympic gold medal is a huge honor for any athlete.
World Championship Wins
Besides the Olympics, Matt also competed in the World Rowing Championships. These championships are held every year and bring together the best rowers from around the globe.
He won two gold medals at the World Championships:
- In 2003, he won gold in the "coxed four" event in Milano, Italy. A coxed four boat has four rowers and a coxswain.
- In 2005, he won gold again in the men's eight event in Kaizu, Japan.
Matt also earned a bronze medal in the men's eight at the 2006 World Championships in Eton, England.
Education and Recognition
Matt Deakin is a graduate of the University of Washington. This university is known for having a strong rowing program. After his successful career, he was also honored by being made a member of the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame. This shows how much his achievements in rowing are respected.
