Why Olympic sailing great, Tokyo flag-bearer Mat Belcher has opted to retire ahead of Paris 2024

For two decades Olympic sailor Mat Belcher’s life has revolved around racing and representing Australia with pride. Now it is all about dance class, BBQ’s, family time and being a CEO.

For 22 years Olympic sailing great Mat Belcher’s life has revolved around racing and representing his country with the greatest of pride. Now it is all about karate and dance classes, hitting the beach, hanging out with family and friends and being a boss.

The two-time Olympic 470 dingy gold medallist and G.O.A.T of Australian Olympic sailing has officially hung up his harness to spend time with wife Rike and four children - Anton, 9, Amelie, 7, Zoe, 4, and Quinton 1 - and to take on a new challenge as a company CEO.

For Belcher, doing “normal stuff’’ like going to the beach are his priorities but he may still hit the water from time to time on his new wind foiler.

“Just for fun through,’’ Belcher said.

The retirement of the three-time Olympic medallist is a major loss to the highly successful Australian sailing team which will now likely go to the next Games in Paris in 2024 with just two crews of sailors who have won Olympic medals in Tokyo Laser champion Matt Wearn and Rio 49erFX silver medallists Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin.

Multiple Olympic gold medallist Mat Belcher has called time on his Olympic career. Pic: Adam Head

But it is a major gain for his devoted family who are based on the Gold Coast and who Belcher said has been his biggest supporters in sailing - and his inspiration.

Belcher said the motivation which got him to - and onto the medal dais - at the London Olympics (Gold with crewmate Mal Page), Rio (Silver with crewmate Will Ryan) and Tokyo (Gold with Ryan again), is no longer there.

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan, Emma McKeon, Cedric Dubler and Ashley Moloney, Owen Wright, Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen projected on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

“I feel it is the right time with my family, the stage of my life and because of the motivation for Paris,” said the 40-year-old, who is taking up a role as CEO with sailing apparel specialists Zhik, a company he has been on the board of for a number of years.

“I have always campaigned with strong motivation with Mal and then Will for Rio and Tokyo but the same motivation wasn’t there.

“I’ve achieved all my dreams in sailing.’’

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan in the lead-up to the Olympics.

The flag bearer at the Closing Ceremony last year, told News Corp in Tokyo that he could not imagine a sailing moment topping winning his second gold - and third Olympic medal - and his partnership with his Rio and Tokyo teammate Ryan. He also indicated it would be unlikely he would campaign again.

“Tokyo took a lot out of us, the quarantining, the pressure, the time away from home, but it also saw us develop one of the strongest sporting partnerships I have had,” he said.

“It is it hard to build from that or improve on that.

“I knew that was that. It couldn’t really get much better. It was then just about waiting for opportunities.”

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan with their silver medal from Rio.

It had been hoped the champion sailor would stay on the water for one more Olympics in Paris in 2024 in the new mixed 470 class after the all-male boat he sailed in Tokyo, Rio and London was dumped from the Games program.

But Belcher, coached to all his medals by Sydney great Victor Kovalenko, made the decision to pull the plug on campaigning for Paris 2024 in the new mixed 470 class six months ago.

“You have to form a team in a certain time frame … it would have been difficult,” he said.

One of sports most admired men, Belcher is also one of its smartest.

He has a double masters in project management and property management and a bachelor of commerce, majoring in accounting.

Australian Olympic sailing great Mat Belcher.

There skills, along with his extensive knowledge and relationships in sailing will be put to good use in his new business role - and with his old teammates.

“The Australian team are keen to have me as a bit of a mentor, speaking to the athletes and helping where ever I can,’’ he said.

Along with his two gold and silver in Olympic waters, Belcher also won an astounding eight world 470 championships with Page and Ryan.

“He sees the water like to no other, he is a leader and the greatest teammate anyone could ask for. His retirement is a great loss, but we are so lucky to have witnessed one of the greats do what he does for so long,” Kovalenko said.

Originally published as Why Olympic sailing great, Tokyo flag-bearer Mat Belcher has opted to retire ahead of Paris 2024