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Matthew Wearn

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Matthew Wearn OAM
Gold medalist at the 2024 Olympics (by Eric Salard)
Personal information
Nickname'Wearny' 'Wearn Dawg'
NationalityAustralian
Born (1995-09-30) 30 September 1995 (age 29)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia[1]
Sailing career
Class(es)ILCA 7, Etchells, ILCA 6
Club
Medal record
Sailing
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Laser
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Laser
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 The Hague ILCA 7
Gold medal – first place 2024 Adelaide ILCA 7
Silver medal – second place 2018 Aarhus Laser
Silver medal – second place 2019 Sakaiminato Laser
Silver medal – second place 2020 Melbourne Laser
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Split Laser

Matthew Wearn OAM (born 30 September 1995) is an Australian competitive sailor. He won gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2024 Summer Olympics in the men's Laser class.[2]

Wearn has been sailing since he was five years old. He chose the sport over a possible career in Australian Rules football. He was inspired by Beijing Olympic champions Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson who came to his local sailing club in Perth to show young sailors the gold medals they had won in the 470 class.[3]

Career

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Sailing in the 2024 Olympics ILCA 7 Portugal and Double Gold medalist Matt Wearn of Australia

Wearn won silver medals at the Laser World Championships in 2018, 2019 and 2020. He qualified to represent Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2021, winning the gold medal in Laser.

In the 2022 Australia Day Honours Wearn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.[4] In 2023, awarded Male Able-Athlete of the Year at the AIS Sport Performance Awards.[5]

In August 2024, Wearn defended his Olympic title in the Laser class.[6]

In 2024, awarded Male Able-Athlete of the Year at the AIS Sport Performance Awards.[7]

Personal life

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As a 15-year-old, Matt was invited to train with the Western Australian under-15 Australian rules football team, but due to sailing commitments, he had to turn this opportunity down. In 2023, he married Belgian sailor Emma Plasschaert.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Matt Wearn". Olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Matt Wearn becomes first back-to-back Olympic champion in men's dinghy". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Matt Wearn". AustralianSailingTeam.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Australia Day Honours List" (PDF). The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  5. ^ Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "Swimming makes a big splash at AIS Performance Awards". Australian Sports Commission. Retrieved 29 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Rogers, Samantha (7 August 2024). "Marvellous Matt! WA's Wearn claims back-to-back gold". The West Australian. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  7. ^ Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "Parker's remarkable Paris performance celebrated at AIS Awards". Australian Sports Commission. Retrieved 4 December 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Pengilly, Adam (5 July 2024). "'It was taken away from me': The Olympic champion who spent a year battling long COVID". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
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