Belcher & Page - Sydney 2000 Flashback

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 21 Sep 2010 Belcher & Page - Do you ever close your eyes and recall the highlights of your life? Mat, Mal and Victor got to revel in Australian Olympic history recently as guests at the New South Wales Olympic Committee reunion for the NSW representatives for Sydney 2000.

'Neverwas a city so vibrant, exciting and frankly embracing of an Olympic Games,' said Sebastian Coe, who was in town for the festivities. Sydney2000 was magical, especially for the members of the Belcher & PageLondon Challenge 2012.

For Coach Victor Kovalenko, it was the first time that his protégés Tom King and Mark Turnbull and Belinda Stowell and Jenny Armstrong won both the 470 Men's and 470 Women's Olympic gold medals. Kovalenko repeated the accomplishment in 2008 when Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page and Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson stole the show on the 470 circle in Qingdao.

Malcolm Page was already on the Australian sailing squad and he and Nathan Wilmot were destined to become Kovalenko's next stars.

Mat Belcher, having just won the 420 World Championships, was identified as one of Australia's promising young athletes and selected to be a flag bearer at the Sydney 2000 Closing Ceremony. He met his sailing idols, including Kovalenko, at the event. It was the event that triggered his resolve to become an Olympian.

Mat Belcher parades the Olympic flag at Sydney 2000 Closing Ceremony. Courtesy Belcher family.

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