Roland Matthes competing at the Deutsche Hallenmeisterschaften on 1968-04-13 in Rostock |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Roland Matthes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | "Rolls-Royce of Swimming" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | East Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 November 1950 Pößneck, Thüringen |
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| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 74 kilograms (160 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stroke(s) | Backstroke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Sportclub Turbine Erfurt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Roland Matthes (born 17 November 1950 in Pößneck, Thuringia) is a German Olympic backstroke swimmer.
Roland Matthes is the most successful backstroke swimmer of all times. In a period of seven years (April 1967 to August 1974) he won all backstroke competitions he entered. He won four European Championships and three World Championships in a row, and swam 21 world records. Additionally he also held the European records in 100 meters freestyle, 200 meters medley, and 100 meters butterfly. He was trained by Marlies Grohe.
As an Olympian in 1968 (Mexico), 1972 (München), and 1976 he won a total of eight medals (4 × Gold, 2 × Silver, 2 × Bronze): In the Olympic Games from 1968 and 1972 he won Gold in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters backstroke, while in 1976 he won the Bronze medal in 100 meters backstroke. In addition to these individual events, he also won the 4 x 100 meters team medley Silver in 1968 and 1972, and a Bronze medal for the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle event.
In 1973 in Belgrade he became the first World Champion holding the titles in both the 100 meters and 200 meters backstroke. Additionally he won Silver in the 4 x 100 meters team medley and Bronze in the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle.
Two years later in 1975 he successfully defended his world title in 100 meters backstroke in Cali, Colombia.
In the European Championships in 1970 in Barcelona and 1974 in Vienna he won all four titles for the 100 and 200 meters backstroke. Additionally, in Barcelona he won the individual Silver for 100 meters freestyle, Gold with the 4 x 100 meters team medley, and Bronze with both the 4 x 100 meters and 4 x 200 freestyle teams. In Vienna, he also won the individual Silver for 100 meters butterfly, and Bronze with the 4 x 100 meters team freestyle.
In the years 1967 to 1971, and in 1973 and 1975, for a total of seven times, he was elected Athlete of the Year in the former German Democratic Republic. 1981 he was entered into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
| Records | ||
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| Preceded by Charles Hickcox |
Men's 100 metre backstroke world record holder (long course) 21 September 1967 – 18 July 1976 |
Succeeded by John Naber |
| Preceded by – |
Men's 200 metre backstroke world record holder (long course) 2 September 1972 – 19 June 1976 |
Succeeded by John Naber |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded by Frank Wiegand |
East German Sportsman of the Year 1967 – 1971 |
Succeeded by Wolfgang Nordwig |
| Preceded by Wolfgang Nordwig |
East German Sportsman of the Year 1973 |
Succeeded by Hans-Georg Aschenbach |
| Preceded by Hans-Georg Aschenbach |
East German Sportsman of the Year 1975 |
Succeeded by Waldemar Cierpinski |
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