This is wonderful to share: All about our Tom
Tom Slingsby last night finally won the Olympic gold medal he has craved so badly since a disastrous Beijing campaign and in doing so handed a nation starved of success its first individual gold of the Games.
A proud Slingsby said he hopes his victory at the Olympic sailing regatta sparks an Australian gold rush.
''I'm a very proud Australian and hopefully this can give us the kickstart we need,'' he told reporters.
''We've got the best athletes in the world in my view - I might be a bit biased - but I think the golds will come and we'll get right up where we need to be.''
He secured victory in the Laser class in Weymouth Bay, watched by thousand of fans, including his mum Mavis, father Dave, his sister, brother and girlfriend - the Italian windsurfer Flavia Tartaglini.
Olympic Information
- Beijing
- 2008 - 22nd (laser)
Recent Performances
- 1st (Laser) - 2012 Sail for Gold Regatta (Weymouth, Great Britain)
- 1st (laser) - 2012 Laser World Championships (Boltenhagen, Germany)
- 1st (laser) - 2011 World Championships (Perth, Australia)
- 1st (laser) - 2011 Olympic Test Event (Weymouth, Great Britain)
- 1st (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Weymouth, Great Britain)
- 1st (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Medemblik, The Netherlands)
- 3rd (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Hyeres, France)
- 2nd (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Palma, Spain)
Career Highlights
- Winning Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2010
- World Champion laser singlehanded dinghy - 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012
Interesting Facts
- Tom Slingsby, from the NSW Central Coast, started sailing when he was eight-years-old. He was a full time tennis player until the age of 16 when he suffered burn- out, so turned his focus to sailing.
- Slingsby went into the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the number one ranked sailor and world champion in his class, however his Olympic campaign did not go as planned, finishing 22nd.
- In 2010, Slingsby was named World Sailor of the Year - the first Australian to do so. The award came after an incredible year of racing where Slingsby reclaimed the world number one ranking, won the 2010 Laser World Championship (his third in four years) and also took out the 2010 Etchells World Championship. He also won three rounds of the 2010 World Cup including one at the Olympic venue of Weymouth.
- Slingsby shed weight down to 81kg to contest the Olympic Test Event in Weymouth in 2011, testing himself to see if being lighter would gain him an advantage. He won the event, albeit only by three points but preferred competing with a bigger and stronger build so returned to his gym regime to bulk back up. Back to his preferred racing weight, Slingsby aslo took out the 2011 World Championships in Perth.
- He finalised his preparations with a fifth World Championship title in six years as he took out the Laser World Championship in Boltenhagen, Germany. He will compete with the Oracle Racing Team that will defend the America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013 however achieving Olympic gold remains his priority for 2012, with America's Cup sailing fitting into his Laser schedule.
Sport
Years on national team
7
Coach
Michael Blackburn (2009 - current)
Arthur Brett (2004 - 2008)
Arthur Brett (2004 - 2008)
Primary Training Base
Sydney, Australia
Club
Gosford Sailing Club (NSW, Australia)
Institute/Academy
Australian Institute of Sport, CanberraNSW Institute of Sport, Sydney
Education
Primary
St John the Baptist Woy Woy (NSW, Australia)
Secondary
St Edwards College, East Gosford (NSW, Australia)
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