Matthew Pinsent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sir
Matthew Pinsent
CBE

Pinsent in 2018
Personal information
Birth name	Matthew Clive Pinsent
Nationality	British
Born	(1970-10-10) 10 October 1970 (age 54) Holt, Norfolk, England
Alma mater	St Catherine's College, Oxford
Height	6 ft 5 in
Weight	238 pounds (17.0 st; 108 kg)
Website	www.matthewpinsent.com
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Sport	Men's rowing
Event(s)	Coxless pair, coxless four
College team	Oxford University Boat Club
Club	Leander Club
Coached by	Jürgen Gröbler
Retired	2004
Medal record Men's rowing Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona Coxless pair Gold 1996 Atlanta Coxless pair Gold 2000 Sydney Coxless four Gold 2004 Athens Coxless four World Championships Gold 1991 Vienna Coxless pair Gold 1993 Račice Coxless pair Gold 1994 Indianapolis Coxless pair Gold 1995 Tampere Coxless pair Gold 1997 Aiguebelette Coxless four Gold 1998 Cologne Coxless four Gold 1999 St. Catharines Coxless four Gold 2001 Lucerne Coxless pair Gold 2001 Lucerne Coxed pair Gold 2002 Seville Coxless pair Bronze 1989 Bled Coxed four Bronze 1990 Tasmania Coxless pair The Boat Race Gold The Boat Race 1990 Oxford Gold The Boat Race 1991 Oxford Silver The Boat Race 1993 Oxford

Sir Matthew Pinsent, born on October 10, 1970, is a famous English rower and sports broadcaster. He won an amazing 10 gold medals at the World Championships and four gold medals in a row at the Olympic Games. After he stopped rowing, he started working for the BBC, sharing his sports knowledge with viewers.

Early Life and Rowing Start

Matthew Pinsent was born in Holt, Norfolk, England. His father was a church minister, and his mother came from a military family.

Learning to Row

Matthew first went to Aysgarth School. He then started rowing at Eton College, a famous school. He began his international rowing journey at the World Rowing Junior Championships in 1987. In 1988, he won a gold medal there in the junior coxless pairs event with his teammate Tim Foster.

Rowing at Oxford University

After school, Pinsent studied geography at St Catherine's College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he competed in the famous The Boat Race three times. He helped his team win in 1990 and 1991. In 1993, he was the president of the Boat Club, but his team did not win that year. He took a break from university in 1992 to focus on preparing for the Barcelona Olympics.

Amazing Rowing Career

Matthew Pinsent had a truly incredible career in rowing, winning many top awards.

Partnering with Steve Redgrave

In 1990, while still at Oxford, Pinsent teamed up with Steve Redgrave in the coxless pair. They won a bronze medal at the World Championships. This was the start of a very successful partnership. They won gold at the World Championships in 1991. They also won gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

More Olympic Gold Medals

In 2000, Pinsent won another Olympic gold medal. This time, he was part of a coxless four team. His teammates were Steve Redgrave, James Cracknell, and Tim Foster. Pinsent also had the honor of carrying the flag for Team GB at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics.

Before the Sydney Olympics, Pinsent and his team were featured in a BBC documentary called Gold Fever. This show followed their journey and challenges as they aimed for Olympic gold.

Later World Championships and Final Olympic Win

After the 2000 Olympics, Pinsent and James Cracknell formed a new team in the men's coxless pair. They won gold medals at the 2001 and 2002 World Championships. In 2001, they also won the coxed pair event.

For the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Pinsent and Cracknell joined Ed Coode and Steve Williams in the men's coxless four. This was Pinsent's fourth Olympic Games. In a very close race against Canada, they won another gold medal. This was Pinsent's fourth consecutive Olympic gold.

Physical Abilities

Matthew Pinsent is quite tall, standing at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m). He once had one of the largest lung capacities ever recorded for a sportsman, at 8.5 liters. This shows how incredibly fit he was for rowing.

Life After Rowing

Matthew Pinsent announced his retirement from rowing on November 30, 2004. He was recognized for his achievements and became a Knight Bachelor in 2005, which means he is now called "Sir Matthew Pinsent."

He had also received other honors earlier in his career. In 2005, he was given the Thomas Keller Medal by the International Rowing Federation. This award celebrates rowers who have had outstanding careers.

Working as a Broadcaster

Since retiring from rowing, Sir Matthew Pinsent has worked for the BBC as a sports presenter and reporter. He has covered many major sporting events, including several Olympic Games. He reported from the Olympics in Beijing (2008), Vancouver (2010), London (2012), Sochi (2014), Rio (2016), and Beijing (2022). For the Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024) Olympics, he was the reporter for rowing and canoeing events. He also reported from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi (2010) and Glasgow (2014).

Pinsent continues to be involved in rowing by working as an umpire or commentator for important events like the Henley Royal Regatta and The Boat Race. He umpired his first "Blue Boat" race in 2013.

In June 2012, Pinsent rowed on the Gloriana as part of a special event for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The next month, he carried the Olympic torch on the Gloriana as it crossed the River Thames.

In 2020, Pinsent appeared on the TV show Celebrity Masterchef, where he finished in second place.

Personal Life

Matthew Pinsent is married to Demetra Koutsoukos. They met while studying at Oxford University. They have three children: twin boys named Jonah and Lucas, born in 2006, and a daughter named Eve, born in 2008.

Awards and Titles

• Mr Matthew Pinsent (1970–1992)
• Mr Matthew Pinsent, MBE (1993–2000)
• Mr Matthew Pinsent, CBE (2001–2004)
• Sir Matthew Pinsent, CBE (2005—)

See also

In Spanish: Matthew Pinsent para niños