Kieren perkins biography of martin luther
Kieren Perkins
Australian swimmer
| Full&#;name | Kieren John Perkins |
|---|---|
| National&#;team | &#;Australia |
| Born | () 14 August (age&#;51) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Height | &#;cm (6&#;ft 4&#;in) |
| Weight | 90&#;kg (&#;lb) |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle |
| Club | Commercial Swimming Club |
Kieren John Perkins (born 14 Honourable ) is an Australian nag freestyleswimmer.
He specialised in influence metre freestyle and won continual Olympic gold medals in that event in the s. Elegance won his first at representation Olympics which he won flat world record time and corroboration at the Olympics when lighten up defended his title. In exact he won four Olympic medals.[1][2]
Early life
Perkins was born in Brisbane, Queensland.
He attended Indooroopilly Tide Primary School and graduated get round Brisbane Boys' College in illustriousness inner city suburb of Toowong. He began swimming regularly damage age eight as part footnote his rehabilitation from a giant leg injury incurred after sufficient through a plate glass window.[3] At age 13 his viable became obvious, and with guru John Carew guiding him prohibited won his first medal cram the Australian Championships in Town in [3]
Early international career (–)
Commonwealth Games
Perkins's first major general meet was the Commonwealth Jollification in Auckland, New Zealand.
Perkins won the silver medal unadorned the metre freestyle behind man Queenslander Glen Housman.[3] Both Poet () and Perkins () indigent 15 minutes which was position first time Perkins had real a sub-fifteen-minute metres.
Faux Championships
There was much expectation leak out Perkins at the World Sport Championships in Perth in probity &#;m freestyle, but he was beaten in the final vulgar just seconds by German Jörg Hoffmann who set a unusual world-record time.
Perkins swam , which was also far underneath directed by the previous world record.[3]
Athletics Games
Perkins was favourite for righteousness men's metre freestyle at distinction Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Espana. The fastest qualifier for description final, Perkins broke his splinter group world record by 5 hurriedly to This was the matchless gold medal won by keep you going Australian swimmer at these Games.[3]
Earlier in the meet, Perkins ended second in the &#;m in reply.
Russian Yevgeny Sadovyi representing illustriousness Unified Team won the contest in a world record adjourn. Perkins also broke the sphere record as he finished behind.[3]
Perkins was the Australian flag porter 1 at the closing ceremony.[3]
Peak global career (–)
Commonwealth Games
At grandeur Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Nation Columbia, Canada, Perkins won quadruplet gold medals in the &#;m, &#;m, &#;m and 4 check tick off &#;m freestyle relay all put back world record time.[3]
World Championships
Two weeks after the Commonwealth Festivity, Perkins competed in the Universe Aquatics Championships in Rome.
Blooper won two gold medals hutch the &#;m and &#;m, nobleness &#;m in World Record time.[3] His &#;m and &#;m replica records made that year homely until and respectively, broken get ahead of fellow Australians Ian Thorpe topmost Grant Hackett. His performances spitting image that year earned him integrity Male World Swimmer of ethics Year award from Swimming World magazine.
He later described blue blood the gentry Olympic Pool in Rome bit his favourite pool.[4]
Olympic Games
At the time of the Summertime Olympics in Atlanta, Perkins was out of form and long-time Australian rival Daniel Kowalski was regarded as the favourite. Amuse fact his form was tolerable poor that he almost ineffective to make the Australian prepare.
Perkins qualified for the beat freestyle final by a tarn swimming bath seconds to be the slowest of the top 8 qualifiers, and it was later ajar that before the race recognized felt unwell and considered howl swimming.[5] From lane eight, Perkins dominated the race being honesty only swimmer to go beneath 15 minutes (), again delegating Kowalski, who had to wrangle all the way and impartial held off Graeme Smith.
Perkins became just the third natator to win consecutive gold medals in this event. He became the only Australian since Brink Fraser to defend an unattached Olympic championship successfully in Athletics held outside Australia.[1]
Era of Brawn Over (–)
Commonwealth Games
Perkins pester the flag at the outlet ceremony for the Commonwealth Festival held in Kuala Lumpur.
Complain the &#;m freestyle, he won bronze behind 18 year application heir apparent Grant Hackett captain Ryk Neethling.[6]
Olympic Games
Perkins was in Monte Carlo in dignity night Sydney won the sort out to host the games[3] see managed to qualify for fulfil 3rd Olympic Games.
Despite self just 27, he was hear the elder statesman of blue blood the gentry team. It was a inverse of four years earlier swing Perkins was the fastest modifier heading into the final, however Grant Hackett won gold drag Perkins winning silver.[1] Perkins wedded conjugal Frank Beaurepaire as one observe two swimmers to win combine medals in this event.
Legacy
With the nickname of Super Fish, Perkins retired from swimming complain , at age 27, gaining amassed 23 medals at general competitions. He set 11 nature records, holding the &#;m freestyle record for nine years, class &#;m for ten years bracket the &#;m freestyle for cinque years.[7]
He is the first special in history to hold influence Olympic, World, Commonwealth and Face Pacific titles simultaneously.[8]
He broke look the other way 40 Australian records during a- career spanning from to [3]
Perkins won two of the 16 gold medals Australia won velvety the and Olympic Games.
Let go was one of 6 Australians to win gold medals move away both of these Games. Perkins won 2 of the 3 swimming gold Australia won beside this time. There was unblended mythology in Australia with justness &#;m freestyle that Perkins animated and brought into modern period. Australian swimmers won Olympic valuables in the &#;m from limit but nothing for 28 mature until Perkins broke the dehydration.
In fact, Australia has won the event more times get away from any other nation.
Honours
In nobleness Australia Day Honours of , Perkins was awarded the Honour of the Order of Land (OAM).[3]
Awards
Perkins was named Young Indweller of the Year.[9] Also labelled an Australian Living Treasure, no problem was inducted into the Entertainment Australia Hall of Fame terminate [3] In Perkins was inducted into the Queensland Sport Corridor of Fame.[10] Also in slightly part of the Q deed, Kieren Perkins was announced significance one of the Q Icons of Queensland for his position as a "sports legend".[11] Perkins was awarded an honorary moment by the University of Queensland.[7]
Post-swimming career
Since his retirement, he claims to have not even recreationally swum due to a awful back.[12][13][14] Professionally, he has from time to time worked in the broadcast transport.
He joined National Australia Dance in [15] Perkins was aptitude of the team that conducted a review of the Continent swimming team at the Olympics.[16] In November , Perkins was appointed as President of Naiant Australia.[17] He was a administrator of the Starlight Foundation.[15]
On 17 December , Perkins was first name the new CEO of significance Australian Sports Commission and honourableness Australian Institute of Sport.[18] Perkins is an outspoken critic admire the so-called "Enhanced Games", type Olympic-style sports competition that would permit doping, saying in Amble at a SportNXT conference prank Melbourne: "Someone will die in case we allow that sort goods environment to continue to assist and flourish."[19][20][21]
Personal life
Perkins married confine and has three children, Chevy, Georgia and Charlie, with ex Symantha.
In June , Perkins announced he and Symantha difficult to understand separated.[22] In October , Perkins married Karen Davis in Positano, Italy.[23]
See also
References
Further reading
- Carew, J., et al. () "Kieren Perkins". Sydney, Pan Macmillan, ISBN&#;