Roland Matthes

Biographical information

Roles	Competed in Olympic Games
Sex	Male
Full name	Roland•Matthes
Used name	Roland•Matthes
Born	17 November 1950 in Pößneck, Thüringen (GER)
Died	20 December 2019 in Wertheim, Baden-Württemberg (GER)
Measurements	189 cm / 74 kg
Affiliations	SC Turbine Erfurt, Erfurt (GER)
NOC	East Germany

Medals	OG
Gold	4
Silver	2
Bronze	2
Total	8

Biography

East German Roland Matthes won the 100 and 200 metre backstrokes at both the 1968 and 1972 Games, making him the most successful of all Olympic backstroke swimmers. He also won two silvers and one bronze medal in the relays and added his eighth Olympic medal (a bronze) in the 1976 100 metre backstroke. Matthes set 16 world backstroke records (seven at 100 metres and nine at 200 metres), but was also a world class performer in other events, winning silver medals at the European Championships in the freestyle and butterfly and setting three European butterfly records. Matthes was undefeated from 1967 to 1974 in the backstroke, when he was defeated by American John Naber, who succeeded him as Olympic double backstroke champion in 1976. Matthes also won the backstroke double at the 1970 and 1974 European Championships and the 1973 World Championships, and won 15 individual national titles in various events.

Matthes was briefly married (1978-82) to East German Olympic swimmer Kornelia Ender. From 1970-77 he studied sports science in Leipzig at DHfK, then studied medicine at Jena University from 1978-84, eventually working as an orthopedic surgeon. First, he was employed by the famed fencing center at Tauberbischofsheim, but he and legendary fencing coach Emil Beck had divergent opinions and they separated. Matthes then went to Marktheidenfeld to found his own practice. In 2006 he was inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame.

Results

Games	Discipline (Sport) / Event	NOC / Team	Pos	Medal	As
1968 Summer Olympics	Swimming (Aquatics)	GDR			Roland Matthes
	100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		1	Gold
	200 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		1	Gold
	4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic)	East Germany	2	Silver
1972 Summer Olympics	Swimming (Aquatics)	GDR			Roland Matthes
	4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Men (Olympic)	East Germany	3	Bronze
	100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		1	Gold
	200 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		1	Gold
	100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic)		4
	4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic)	East Germany	2	Silver
1976 Summer Olympics	Swimming (Aquatics)	GDR			Roland Matthes
	100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		3	Bronze
	200 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic)		DNS
	100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic)		5

Olympic family relations

Husband (divorced) of Kornelia Ender

Special Notes

Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 23 April 1967 - 21 March 1982: 59.8 (23 April 1967; Magdeburg, GDR), 58.4 (21 September 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 58.0 (26 October 1968; Ciudad de México, MEX), 57.8 (23 August 1969; Würzburg, FRG), 57.8 tied (15 April 1970; Novosibirks, URS), 56.9 (8 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP), 56.7 (4 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR), 56.3 (8 April 1972; Moskva, URS), 56.3 tied (9 April 1972; Moskva, URS), 56.30 tied (4 September 1972; München, FRG); 200 m backstroke – 23 April 1967 - 15 March 1980: 2:11.2 (23 April 1967; Magdeburg, GDR), 2:11.1 (28 October 1967; Ciudad de México, MEX), 2:07.9 (8 November 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 2:07.5 (14 August 1968; Leipzig, GDR), 2:07.4 (12 July 1969; Santa Clara, USA), 2:06.4 (29 August 1969; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 2:06.1 (11 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP), 2:05.6 (3 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR), 2:02.8 (10 July 1972; Leipzig, GDR), 2:02.82 (2 September 1972; München, FRG), 2:01.87 (6 September 1973; Beograd, YUG); 100 m butterfly – 16 April 1971 - 31 August 1975: 56.1 (16 April 1971; Halle, GDR), 56.0 (14 July 1971; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 55.7 (3 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR); 200 m medley – 11 July 1970 - 12 September 1970: 2:12.8 (11 July 1970; Brandenburg, GDR); 4×100 m medley relay – 7 November 1967 - 25 August 1974: 3:56.5 (7 November 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 3:54.4 (8 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP), 3:53.8 (4 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR), 3:52.12 (4 September 1972; München, FRG))
Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 21 September 1967 - 18 July 1976: 58.4 (21 September 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 58.0 (26 October 1968; Ciudad de México, MEX), 57.8 (23 August 1969; Würzburg, FRG), 56.9 (8 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP), 56.7 (4 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR), 56.3 (8 April 1972; Moskva, URS), 56.30 (4 September 1972; München, FRG); 200 m backstroke – 8 November 1967 - 14 August 1969, 29 August 1969 - 20 August 1970, and 11 September 1970 - 19 June 1976: 2:07.9 (8 November 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 2:07.5 (14 August 1968; Leipzig, GDR), 2:07.4 (12 July 1969; Santa Clara, USA), 2:06.4 (29 August 1969; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 2:06.1 (11 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP), 2:05.6 (3 September 1971; Leipzig, GDR), 2:02.8 (10 July 1972; Leipzig, GDR), 2:02.82 (2 September 1972; München, FRG), 2:01.87 (6 September 1973; Beograd, YUG); 4×100 m medley relay – 7 November 1967 - 26 October 1968 and 8 September 1970 - 3 September 1971: 3:56.5 (7 November 1967; Leipzig, GDR), 3:54.4 (8 September 1970; Barcelona, ESP))
Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (5–2–3 1970 Barcelona SWM gold: 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 100 m freestyle, bronze: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×200 m freestyle relay; 1974 Wien SWM gold: 100 m backstroke and 200 m backstroke, silver: 100 m butterfly, bronze: 4×100 m freestyle relay)
Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (3–1–1 1973 Belgrade SWI gold: 100 m backstroke and 200 m backstroke, silver: 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 4×100 m freestyle relay; 1975 Cali SWI gold: 100 m backstroke)
Listed in Olympic Swimmers - Doubles Champions, Same Year (1968 / 1972 100/200 Backstroke Champion.)
Listed in Olympians Who Were Elected East German Athlete of the Year (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975)