Robert de Castella facts for kids
Robert de Castella in 1983
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| Full name | Francois Robert de Castella | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 February 1957 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 65 kg (143 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Australia |
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| Sport | Long-distance running | ||||||||||||||||
| Club | Old Xaverians, Glenhuntly Athletics Club, Melbourne Mazda Optimists Track Club |
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Medal record
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Robert de Castella (born 27 February 1957) is a famous Australian former marathon runner. He was a world champion and is often called "Deek" or "Deeks" by Australians. His competitors sometimes called him "Tree" because of his strong legs and calm nature. He still holds the record for the fastest marathon time in Oceania.
Contents
Early Life and Running Start
Robert de Castella was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was the oldest of seven children. His family loved sports. His father ran marathons, and his mother was a good tennis player. Robert started training as a track athlete when he was just 11 years old. He went to Xavier College in Melbourne.
Robert's Marathon Journey
Robert de Castella wanted to run for Australia in the Olympics. He thought the marathon was his best chance. He won the Australian championship and earned a spot on the 1980 Olympic team.
1980 Moscow Olympics
At his first big international race, the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Robert finished 10th. He completed the marathon in 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 31 seconds. This was a great start for him on the world stage.
1981 Fukuoka Marathon
Robert de Castella became famous around the world when he won the 1981 Fukuoka Marathon. He finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 18 seconds. At first, people thought another runner had a faster time. However, it was later discovered that the other course was a bit short. Robert's time was then officially recognized as a new world record!
1982 Commonwealth Games Victory
Robert was a favorite to win the marathon at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. Two runners from Tanzania started very fast, getting far ahead. Robert faced a physical challenge during the race, but he showed incredible determination. He slowly caught up to the leaders. In the final kilometers, he battled it out with Juma Ikangaa. Robert pulled ahead and won the gold medal by 80 meters. His winning time was 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 18 seconds.
1983 Rotterdam Marathon
In April 1983, Robert de Castella won the Rotterdam Marathon. This race was a big event, with many top runners, including Alberto Salazar. Robert ran a fantastic race, leaving most of the other runners behind. He then sprinted to the finish line, beating Carlos Lopes, who would win the Olympic marathon the next year. Robert's time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 37 seconds was one of the fastest ever recorded at that time.
1983 World Championship Gold
Robert de Castella made history in August 1983. He won Australia's first gold medal in athletics at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. He won the marathon, beating Kebede Balcha by 24 seconds. This was a huge achievement for Australian sports.
1984 Olympic Games
Many people thought Robert would win the marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He stayed with the leading group for most of the race. However, around the 35-kilometer mark, some runners sped up, and Robert couldn't quite keep their pace. He still finished strong, coming in fifth place.
1986 Commonwealth Games
Robert de Castella successfully defended his Commonwealth Games title in Edinburgh. He won the marathon again, finishing in 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 15 seconds. This showed his consistent excellence in the sport.
Cross Country Running
Besides marathons, Robert de Castella was also a very good cross country runner. He won the Australian national title five times (once as a junior and four times as a senior). He competed in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships eight times, often finishing among the top 20 runners in the world.
Life After Running
Robert de Castella continued to represent Australia in the Olympics, competing in four straight Games. He finished in the top ten in three of them. He retired from running in 1993.
After his running career, Robert became the director of the Australian Institute of Sport from 1990 to 1995. He has also worked to encourage healthy living for both children and adults. He leads the Indigenous Marathon Project, which helps Indigenous Australians train for marathons. In 2009, he started the Stromlo Running Festival in Canberra. In 2014, he received the Officer of the Order of Australia award for his work in the community, especially for children's health and supporting young Indigenous people.
Robert also launched "deeks," a chain of bakeries and cafés that offer grain and gluten-free foods. He earned a black belt in the martial art Goju Ryu in 2004.
Key Race Results
- 1977 – Won the Sydney City to Surf race.
- 1979 – Won the Victorian and Australian marathon titles.
- 1980 – Finished 10th in the 1980 Summer Olympics marathon in Moscow.
- 1981 – Won the Fukuoka Marathon and set a new world record.
- 1982 – Won the 1982 Commonwealth Games marathon in Brisbane.
- 1983 – Won the Rotterdam Marathon.
- 1983 – Won the 1983 World Championships in Athletics marathon in Helsinki.
- 1984 – Finished 5th in the Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles.
- 1986 – Won the 1986 Commonwealth Games marathon in Edinburgh.
- 1986 – Won the Boston Marathon with his personal best time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 51 seconds.
- 1988 – Finished 8th in the 1988 Summer Olympics marathon in Seoul.
- 1991 – Won the Rotterdam Marathon again.
Records Held
As of May 2009, Robert de Castella held several Australian running records:
- Australian Under 20 10,000 meters record.
- Australian 20 km Track record.
- Australian 1 Hour record (distance covered in one hour).
- Australian All Comers Marathon record (fastest marathon time on Australian soil).
- Australian Marathon record (his personal best time).
Other Awards and Recognition
- 1982 – Awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to athletics.
- 1983 – Named Australian of the Year.
- 1985 – Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
- 2000 – Received the Australian Sports Medal.
- 2001 – Awarded the Centenary Medal.
- 2001 – Recognized as 'Best of the Best' by the Australian Institute of Sport.
- 2014 – Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
See also
In Spanish: Rob de Castella para niños
