Sir Steve RedgraveSir Steve Redgrave

Tea KookmaaTea Kookmaa

Tallinn English CollegeTallinn English College

IntroductionIntroduction Sir Stephen

Geoffrey Redgrave was born on 23 March 1962, in Marlow, England. He is an English rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000, three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships gold medals.

AchievementsAchievements Sir Redgrave’s Sir Redgrave’s primary primary

strength was in sweep oared strength was in sweep oared rowing, where he has the rowing, where he has the distinction of being one of distinction of being one of the few oarsmen to have the few oarsmen to have won Olympic Gold rowing won Olympic Gold rowing both bowside and strokeside both bowside and strokeside (starboard and port). He also (starboard and port). He also enjoyed success inenjoyed success in indoor indoor rowingrowing, winning the World , winning the World Championship for Indoor Championship for Indoor Rowing in 1991Rowing in 1991. . He was also He was also a successful single sculler a successful single sculler winning the winning the Wingfield Sculls Wingfield Sculls five times between 1985 five times between 1985 and 1989, but not quite a and 1989, but not quite a world champion class single world champion class single sculler.sculler.

From 1991 onwards, Redgrave, From 1991 onwards, Redgrave, and the crews in which he rowed, and the crews in which he rowed, became renowned for their became renowned for their consistent dominance. They set consistent dominance. They set themselves apart from many other themselves apart from many other internationally successful crews by internationally successful crews by winning almost every time they winning almost every time they raced.raced.

AchievementsAchievements Sir Sir Redgrave was an Redgrave was an

outstanding competitor at outstanding competitor at Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta over over twenty years. He won the twenty years. He won the Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ CupCup for coxless pairs seven for coxless pairs seven timestimes, , the the Stewards’ Stewards’ Challange CupChallange Cup for coxless for coxless fours five times, the fours five times, the Diamond Challange ScullsDiamond Challange Sculls twice, the twice, the Double Sculls Double Sculls Challange CupChallange Cup once (with once (with Eric SimsEric Sims) and the ) and the Queen Queen Mother Challange Cup Mother Challange Cup for for quadruple sculls once.quadruple sculls once.

ChallengesChallenges

One of the reasons why Sir Steve Redgrave can be One of the reasons why Sir Steve Redgrave can be considered Britain’s greatest Olympian is due to considered Britain’s greatest Olympian is due to having been successful despite several challenges.having been successful despite several challenges.

For much of his career, Redgrave battled against For much of his career, Redgrave battled against severe illnesses.severe illnesses.

He has fought against lifelong dyslexia. He has fought against lifelong dyslexia. In 1992, he In 1992, he was diagnosed with was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Despite that,ulcerative colitis. Despite that, he had continued to train for a considerable time he had continued to train for a considerable time prior to diagnosis. In late 1997, prior to diagnosis. In late 1997, diabetesdiabetes was added was added to his list of ailments.to his list of ailments.

Medals and awardsMedals and awards

14 total Olympic and 14 total Olympic and World Championship World Championship gold medals gold medals

The Most Excellent The Most Excellent Order of the British Order of the British Empire in 1987 Empire in 1987 (member MBE) and (member MBE) and CBE (commander) in CBE (commander) in 19971997

He became a Knight He became a Knight Bachelor in 2001Bachelor in 2001

In 2002, his In 2002, his achievement of winning achievement of winning gold medals at five gold medals at five consecutive Olympic consecutive Olympic games was voted the games was voted the greatest sporting greatest sporting moment in Channel 4's moment in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Sporting 100 Greatest Sporting Moments Moments

1996 - Winner of UK 1996 - Winner of UK CelebrityCelebrity Gladiators Gladiators

2000 - BBC Sports 2000 - BBC Sports Personality of the Year Personality of the Year

Appearances in publicAppearances in public

Now off the water, in addition to Now off the water, in addition to maintaining a busy schedule as an maintaining a busy schedule as an after-dinner and motivational speaker, after-dinner and motivational speaker, Steve is absorbed in commericial Steve is absorbed in commericial projects, his range of Fairtrade projects, his range of Fairtrade menswear, and mentoring his menswear, and mentoring his TeamVisa hopefuls as they progress TeamVisa hopefuls as they progress towards their target of competing in towards their target of competing in the 2012 London Olympics. the 2012 London Olympics.

CharityCharity

He also starred in He also starred in Top Gear Ground ForceTop Gear Ground Force for for Sport Relief in 2008, where the Sport Relief in 2008, where the Top GearTop Gear Team Team took on Ground Force with predictable results, took on Ground Force with predictable results, and trashed his garden.and trashed his garden.

Steve Steve has also launched his own Fairtrade Cotton has also launched his own Fairtrade Cotton Brand of Clothing called FiveG which is sold in Brand of Clothing called FiveG which is sold in Debenhams Debenhams department stores. Sir Steve is department stores. Sir Steve is committed to providing a better deal for the Third committed to providing a better deal for the Third World through both his FiveG clothing range and World through both his FiveG clothing range and the Sir Steve Redgrave Charity Trust.the Sir Steve Redgrave Charity Trust.

The Steve Redgrave FundThe Steve Redgrave Fund The success of the Steve The success of the Steve

Redgrave Fund has been Redgrave Fund has been extremely encouraging. extremely encouraging. “We’re six and a half “We’re six and a half years into it now, and years into it now, and we’ve raised over five and we’ve raised over five and a half million.” This a half million.” This exceeds the five million exceeds the five million pound target set by Sir pound target set by Sir Steve himself. The effects Steve himself. The effects have been very have been very encouraging, and the encouraging, and the Fund has “supported over Fund has “supported over 400 community based 400 community based projects.” Redgrave projects.” Redgrave describes the whole describes the whole experience as “very experience as “very rewarding.”rewarding.”

When setting up his own When setting up his own charity, Redgrave charity, Redgrave wanted to target social wanted to target social problems affecting many problems affecting many children today, children today, concentrating on the concentrating on the problems of social problems of social exclusion, low exclusion, low confidence and obesity. confidence and obesity. It does this through child It does this through child involvement in sport, involvement in sport, sharing funds with Sport sharing funds with Sport Relief. He set the Fund Relief. He set the Fund up because, in his own up because, in his own words, “when I retired I words, “when I retired I wanted to make quite a wanted to make quite a big impact.”big impact.”

The EndThe End

It's not always a bed of roses, but the blend of characters makes the strength of the team.-Sir Steve Redgrave