Roland Matthes is a retired German swimmer and the most successful backstroke swimmer of all times. Between April 1967 and August 1974 he won all backstroke competitions he entered. He won four European championships and three world championships in a row, and swam 19 world and 21 European records in various backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and medley events. He was trained by Marlies Grohe. As an Olympian in 1968, 1972 and 1976 he won a total of eight medals: In 1968 and 1972 he won gold in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke, while in 1976 he was third in the 100 m backstroke. In addition to these individual events, he won the 4�100 m team medley silver in 1968 and 1972, and a bronze medal for the 4�100 m freestyle relay. In 1973 in Belgrade he became the first world champion holding the titles in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke. Additionally he won silver in the 4�100 m medley and bronze in the 4�100 m freestyle relay. Two years later in 1975 he defended his world title in the 100 m backstroke. At the European championships in 1970 in Barcelona and 1974 in Vienna he won all four titles for the 100 and 200 m backstroke. 

November 17th, 1950 in Pößneck  /  Died:   Dec 20th, 2019