Cowdrey, Mr Matt

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (15:46): Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I rise today to speak about the outstanding career of a young South Australian, Matt Cowdrey. Matt is Australia's most successful Paralympian. He swims with the Marion Swimming Club and, at 26 years of age, he has just announced his retirement, on 10 February. Matt has won the most gold medals (13) and a total of 23 medals at the Paralympics, the most medals by any Australian. He also holds five world records, five Paralympic records and nine shortcourse world records, as well as 21 medals at three world championships, including 16 gold—an absolutely outstanding career in any measure.

Cowdrey began swimming at the age of five and broke his first world record at the age of 13, if you can believe it. He made an instant impact at Paralympic competition, winning three gold medals, two silvers and two bronze at the Athens games back in 2004. Matt Cowdrey received a medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) for his achievements in Athens. He went on to win two gold medals at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006, but it was the Beijing Paralympics, two years later, where he really made his mark.

The South Australian set five world records in a brilliant swim meet, where he won three individual gold and was part of two gold medal relays for Australia. On the back of his performance, Cowdrey was chosen to carry the Australian flag in the Beijing closing ceremony. He won another gold medal in Delhi in 2010 at the Commonwealth Games there, before making history at the London Paralympics. Cowdrey produced another haul, this time of five gold, to give him 13 gold medals for his career. The great thing about this story is that his parents had supported, as you would imagine, through countless years of getting up early in the morning—and we know swim stars start very early in the morning to get their swimming training done.

His parents, Peter and Vivienne, worked so hard to help him through his career. It was not until his very last race at the London Aquatic Centre, four minutes before he was about to dive into the pool for what turned out to be his last Paralympics, that his parents arrived on the pool deck. That is right: his sponsors managed to fly them over, and they got to witness him race for the first time, and it was when he took out his fifth gold medal and, as I have said, it was the 100-metre freestyle at the London Paralympics. It was a great achievement for Matt and a great reward for his parents for all the hard work they had done throughout that time.

That gold medal sent Matt past track sprint star Tim Sullivan for the most Paralympic titles by an Australian. His 23 career medals also surpassed fellow swimmer Kingsley Bugarin. I should remember that name; I did report on Kingsley back in the day when I was a sports journalist. He was an outstanding athlete as well, but Matt surpassed him with his achievement there, and his 23 career medals were the most by any Australian, which is absolutely superb.

I would also like to commend the swim coach of Matt Cowdrey who did a marvellous job throughout his career. Peter Bishop has been a great swim coach not only at the South Australian level but right across the country. He has been an Olympic coach and has coached a number of other big names, both at the Norwood Swimming Club and also now at the Marion Swimming Club. It probably is remiss of me not to mention Matt Cowdrey's swimming colleagues as well; those who get up early in the morning for the very early morning starts and helped push him through what has been an outstanding career.

Fittingly, though, the legacy that Matt leaves will be remembered forever in his naming. It happened in September 2012, in the competition pool at the State Aquatic Centre. Matt's name was blasted over the top of that pool and it is now named in his honour. It is right alongside my electorate office so that when I go training I can see the wonderful work that he has done and the legacy that he has left. I really appreciate the great work he has done and the recognition left on behalf of, as I said, one of South Australia's most outstanding athletes. I must again commend the great effort that he has put into his career. I wish him all the best in his future life because I know he is going to do more wonderful things for the state of South Australia.

We have talked today about people who have helped out with the CFS. I would like to mention Joe Nehme and his great team who have done some wonderful work in raising funds for the CFS Foundation. They put on a fundraiser off their own bat after the great work of the CFS and have donated more than $10,000 (I think closer to $11,000) to the CFS Foundation for the great CFS volunteers who helped out during the bushfires earlier this year. I would like to commend Joe, his family and his company Nehco for the great work they have done. Thank you.