Max Metzker
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Maxwell Raymond Metzker | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | "Max" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1960-03-08) 8 March 1960 (age 64) Durban, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 70 kg (154 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | University of Alabama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Maxwell Raymond Metzker (born 8 March 1960) is a South African-born former long-distance freestyle swimmer who represented Australia in the late 1970s and early 1980s, who won a bronze medal in the 1500 m freestyle at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. He was a co-flagbearer with Denise Boyd at the opening ceremony, when Australia marched under the Olympic flag to protest the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
Metzker first showed his international pedigree in the pool at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, coming sixth in the 1500-metre freestyle and 13th in the 400-metre event.
He had his first international success at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, winning a gold and bronze medal in the 1500-metre and 400-metre freestyle respectively. He also claimed a gold medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay.
In Moscow, Metzker trailed the great Soviet swimmer Vladimir Salnikov home by some 25 seconds. Salnikov broke the world record, being the first man to break the 15-minute barrier. Metzker was pipped to the silver by just 0.19 of a second by Salnikov's compatriot Aleksandr Chaev. Metzker also reached the final of the 400-metre freestyle and the 4×200-metre freestyle relay, finishing seventh in both. Metzker retired from international competition with another gold in the 1500-metre freestyle at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
See also
- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
References
- Andrews, Malcolm (2000). Australia at the Olympic Games. Sydney, New South Wales: ABC Books. p. 295. ISBN 0-7333-0884-8.
External links
- Max Metzker at World Aquatics
- Max Metzker at SwimRankings.net
- Max Metzker at Olympics.com
- Max Metzker at Olympedia
- Max Metzker at the Australian Olympic Committee
- v
- t
- e
- 1930 – 1934: 1500 yards
- 1938 – 1966: 1650 yards
- 1970 – present: 1500 metres
- 1930: Noel Ryan (AUS)
- 1934: Noel Ryan (AUS)
- 1938: Bob Leivers (ENG)
- 1950: Graham Johnston (SAF)
- 1954: Graham Johnston (SAF)
- 1958: John Konrads (AUS)
- 1962: Murray Rose (AUS)
- 1966: Ron Jackson (AUS)
- 1970: Graham Windeatt (AUS)
- 1974: Stephen Holland (AUS)
- 1978: Max Metzker (AUS)
- 1982: Max Metzker (AUS)
- 1986: Jason Plummer (AUS)
- 1990: Glen Housman (AUS)
- 1994: Kieren Perkins (AUS)
- 1998: Grant Hackett (AUS)
- 2002: Grant Hackett (AUS)
- 2006: David Davies (WAL)
- 2010: Ryan Cochrane (CAN)
- 2014: Ryan Cochrane (CAN)
- 2018: Jack McLoughlin (AUS)
- 2022: Samuel Short (AUS)