|
|
 |
| |
|
Home > Olympics > Gold Medalists > Michael Wenden
Michael Wenden
The Olympic Games, or Olympics, are an international multi-sport event taking place every four years which comprise of summer and winter games. Though the first ancient games were held in 776 B.C, the modern games started from 1896. The unity of the 5 continents is shown on the Olympic flag by five colorful intertwined rings of red, blue, green, yellow, and black, created by Baron Pierre de Coubertin to represent at least one color of the participating country’s national flag.
Michael Vincent Wenden was born on November 17, 1949 in Sydney, New South Wales and is a former swimming champion from Australia, who competed in two Olympic Games which were 1968 Summer Olympics and 1972 Summer Olympics. Wenden did not have a stylish stroke at the time of his golden streak in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He was known as a drop-dead sprinter, flailing away with nearly sixty strokes to the lap to his opponents’ forty. Wenden won the 100 meters and 200 meters freestyle, setting a world record in the shorter distance and an Olympic record in the longer. In doing so he beat the American superstars Mark Spitz and Don Schollander. He also won silver and bronze in relays.
Wenden came under the influence of an unconventional coach, former army commando Vic Arneil, when he was thirteen years old. Wenden had trouble adjusting to Mexico City’s high altitude. For two weeks his heart pumped so fast he could not swim and could hardly sleep. After his 200 meters final he lost consciousness and sank just then his team-mate Bob Windle came to his aid, pulling him to the surface.
In 2000 Wenden was one of the eight flag-bearers of the Olympic Flag at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. With all his dedication and devotion in his play he achieved many goals in his overall athletic career. He had the ability of defeating the opponent easily by just giving some extra hard work and efforts. He never lost hope in himself and always fought hard to achieve his goal.
Back to Gold Medalists
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|