Cowdrey celebrates after winning the gold in the Men’s 50m Freestyle - S9 on London Paralympics
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Matthew Cowdrey from Australia competes in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley - SM9 on the Paralympic Games in London
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Swimming Australia’s Swimmer of the Year with a Disability award winner five times in a row between 2004 and 2008, Matthew Cowdrey became Australia’s most successful Paralympian of all time at London 2012.
He won five gold, two silver and a bronze medal in London to bring his gold medal tally to 13.
Born with a congenital amputation below the elbow of his left arm, Cowdrey was the first swimmer with an impairment to make South Australia's able-bodied state swimming team. He broke his first world record aged 13 and has smashed many more since.
His Paralympic debut was in Athens 2004. Unfazed at being the youngest member of the Australian team he won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Two years later at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa, he claimed eight medals, including five golds.
At the Beijing 2008 Paralympics he was Australia’s top medalling athlete along with teammate Peter Leek. In Beijing’s iconic Watercube he took home five gold medals and three silvers. His achievements won him the 2008 IPC Male Paralympian of the Year as well as the Australian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian of the Year award.
Cowdrey continued his sensational form at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands where he won six world titles.
Away from the pool he has been Australia’s flagbearer at the Closing Ceremonies of the last two Paralympic Games.
After having his hometown pool in Adelaide named after him, Cowdrey said he was humbled and that it was a "huge honour."
