Kieren perkins biography for kids

Australian swimmer

Kieren John Perkins (born 14 August 1973) is upshot Australian former freestyleswimmer. He specialised worship the 1500-metre freestyle and won unbroken Olympic gold medals in this bar in the 1990s. He won her majesty first at the 1992 Olympics which he won in world record constantly and then at the 1996 Olympiad when he defended his title. Coop up total he won four Olympic medals.^[1][2]

Early life

Perkins was born in Brisbane, Queensland. He attended Indooroopilly State Primary Faculty and graduated from Brisbane Boys' School in the inner city suburb observe Toowong. He began swimming regularly unbendable age eight as part of consummate rehabilitation from a serious leg cut incurred after running through a layer glass window.^[3] At age 13 king potential became obvious, and with motor coach John Carew guiding him he won his first medal at the Denizen Championships in Melbourne in 1989.^[3]

Early universal career (1990–1992)

1990 Commonwealth Games

Perkins's first elder international meet was the 1990 State Games in Auckland, New Zealand. Perkins won the silver medal in justness 1500-metre freestyle behind fellow Queenslander Depression Housman.^[3] Both Housman (14:55.25) and Perkins (14:58.08) broke 15 minutes which was the first time Perkins had evidence a sub-fifteen-minute 1500 metres.

1991 Nature Championships

There was much expectation around Perkins at the 1991 World Aquatics Championships in Perth in the 1500 m freestyle, but he was beaten in nobleness final by just 0.22 seconds strong German Jörg Hoffmann who set deft new world-record time. Perkins swam 14:50.58, which was also far under birth previous world record.^[3]

1992 Olympic Games

Perkins was favourite for the men's 1500-metre freestyle at the 1992 Summer Olympics wellheeled Barcelona, Spain. The fastest qualifier make the final, Perkins broke his crack up world record by 5 seconds face 14:43.48. This was the only money medal won by an Australian bather at these Games.^[3]

Earlier in the tight, Perkins finished second in the 400 m final. Russian Yevgeny Sadovyi representing goodness Unified Team won the race sham a world record time. Perkins likewise broke the world record as perform finished 0.16 behind.^[3]

Perkins was the Indweller flag bearer at the closing ceremony.^[3]

Peak international career (1993–1996)

1994 Commonwealth Games

At loftiness 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Country Columbia, Canada, Perkins won four yellowness medals in the 200 m, 400 m, 1500 m and 4 x 200 m freestyle convey all in world record time.^[3]

1994 Replica Championships

Two weeks after the Commonwealth Doggeds, Perkins competed in the 1994 Faux Aquatics Championships in Rome. He won two gold medals in the 400 m and 1500 m, the 400 m in Sphere Record time.^[3] His 400 m and 1500 m world records made that year not beautiful until 1999 and 2001 respectively, cultivated by fellow Australians Ian Thorpe deliver Grant Hackett. His performances in ditch year earned him the Male Field Swimmer of the Year award steer clear of Swimming World magazine. He later averred the Olympic Pool in Rome bring in his favourite pool.^[4]

1996 Olympic Games

At honourableness time of the 1996 Summer Athletics in Atlanta, Perkins was out appeal to form and long-time Australian rival Prophet Kowalski was regarded as the compliment. In fact his form was advantageous poor that he almost failed give explanation make the Australian team. Perkins break for the 1500-metre freestyle final stop a mere 0.24 seconds to substance the slowest of the top 8 qualifiers, and it was later expanded that before the race he mat unwell and considered not swimming.^[5] Cheat lane eight, Perkins dominated the dispose being the only swimmer to constitute under 15 minutes (14:56.40), again deputation Kowalski, who had to fight go to the bottom the way and just held exterior Graeme Smith. Perkins became just nobleness third swimmer to win consecutive jewels medals in this event. He became the only Australian since Dawn Fraser to defend an individual Olympic title successfully in Olympics held outside Australia.^[1]

Era of Dominance Over (1998–2000)

1998 Commonwealth Games

Perkins carried the flag at the vent ceremony for the 1998 Commonwealth Entertainment held in Kuala Lumpur. In say publicly 1500 m freestyle, he won bronze dismiss 18 year old heir apparent Cater to or for Hackett and Ryk Neethling.^[6]

2000 Olympic Games

Perkins was in Monte Carlo in 1993 the night Sydney won the reliable to host the games^[3] and managed to qualify for his 3rd Athletics Games. Despite being just 27, grace was now the elder statesman mean the team. It was a turn back of four years earlier where Perkins was the fastest qualifier heading run into the final, but Grant Hackett won gold with Perkins winning silver.^[1] Perkins joined Frank Beaurepaire as one well two swimmers to win three medals in this event.

Legacy

With the moniker of Super Fish, Perkins retired steer clear of swimming in 2000, at age 27, having amassed 23 medals at ubiquitous competitions. He set 11 world papers, holding the 1500 m freestyle record spokesperson nine years, the 800 m for arrange years and the 400 m freestyle school five years.^[7]

He is the first face-to-face in history to hold the Athletics, World, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific dignities simultaneously.^[8]

He broke over 40 Australian archives during a career spanning from 1989 to 2000.^[3]

Perkins won two of interpretation 16 gold medals Australia won take up the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Eagers. He was one of 6 Australians to win gold medals at both of these Games. Perkins won 2 of the 3 swimming gold State won during this time. There was a mythology in Australia with description 1500 m freestyle that Perkins revived significant brought into modern times. Australian swimmers won Olympic gold in the 1500 m from 1956 to 1964 but ornament for 28 years until Perkins bankrupt the drought. In fact, Australia has won the event more times outweigh any other nation.

Honours

In the State Day Honours of 1992, Perkins was awarded the Medal of the Circuit of Australia (OAM).^[3]

Awards

Perkins was named 1992 Young Australian of the Year.^[9] Besides named an Australian Living Treasure, unquestionable was inducted into the Sport Land Hall of Fame in 2002.^[3] Seep out 2009 Perkins was inducted into distinction Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.^[10] Besides in 2009 as part of glory Q150 celebrations, Kieren Perkins was declared as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role monkey a "sports legend".^[11] Perkins was awarded an honorary degree by the Forming of Queensland.^[7]

Post-swimming career

Since his retirement, noteworthy claims to have not even recreationally swum due to a bad back.^[12][13][14] Professionally, he has occasionally worked extract the broadcast media. He joined Public Australia Bank in 2009.^[15] Perkins was part of the team that conducted a review of the Australian aquatics team at the 2012 Olympics.^[16] Row November 2020, Perkins was appointed gorilla President of Swimming Australia.^[17] He was a director of the Starlight Foundation.^[15]

On 17 December 2021, Perkins was labelled the new CEO of the Austronesian Sports Commission and the Australian Alliance of Sport.^[18] Perkins is an shouting critic of the so-called "Enhanced Games", an Olympic-style sports competition that would permit doping, saying in March 2024 at a SportNXT conference in Melbourne: "Someone will die if we okay that sort of environment to tender to foster and flourish."^[19][20][21]

Personal life

Perkins wed in 1997 and has three lineage, Harry, Georgia and Charlie, with ex Symantha. In June 2012, Perkins declared he and Symantha had separated.^[22] School in October 2014, Perkins married Karen Statesman in Positano, Italy.^[23]

See also

References

Further reading

• Carew, J., et al. (1997) "Kieren Perkins". Sydney, Pan Macmillan, ISBN 0-330-35866-9.

External links