Rob Waddell
Robert ( " Rob" ) Norman Waddell, ONZM ( born January 7, 1975 in Te Kuiti ) is a New Zealand rower and sailor. He was once Olympic champion and twice world champion in rowing one. He also participated twice in the America 's Cup.
Waddell began at King's College in Auckland with the rowing and in 1992 was an exchange student in Japan. He participated in the World Championships in 1994 and 1995 in part, in the two classes of boat with coxswain, two coxless and coxless four. In 1993 he felt the first time problems with an irregular heart beat, but it was only two years later that atrial fibrillation can be diagnosed. So that his illness did not constitute a burden on his rowing colleagues, he moved to the One.
Soon Waddell came before the world leaders. In 1996, he was seventh at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, 1997 eighth in the World Cup. In the years 1998 and 1999 he was World Champion and in 2000 he set a world record by rowing ergometer ( indoor rowing) on. At the Summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000 he defeated in the final title holder Xeno Müller and won the gold medal. As the first person ever Waddell was elected in 1998 and 2000, three times in a row to New Zealand Sportsman of the Year and won the Halberg Award.
After the Olympic victory Waddell retired from rowing and tried numerous sports from, including Rugby Union, until he then decided to sailing. In 2003 he was hired by Team New Zealand as a grinder, but to defend the title at the 31st America's Cup did not succeed. In 2007 he won again as a grinder of Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton Cup, but lost in the 32nd America 's Cup again the Team Alinghi.
End of 2007, Waddell again took to the rowing training and hit a club race the reigning world champion Mahe Drysdale. Ensued an exciting race to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the Drysdale finally decided 2-1 victories for itself. However, Waddell went to Beijing in the race with the double sculls at the start and reached the fourth place.
Waddell, which is exactly 2 meters tall, has studied business administration at the University of Waikato. Since 1998, he is married to the rower Sonia Scown.
Achievements
Olympic Games:
World Championships:
Sailing:
- 2003: Grinder of Team New Zealand, unsuccessful defense of the America 's Cup
- 2007: Grinder of Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup and unsuccessful defense of the America's Cup