Bond’s recently-crowned 2013 Sportsman of the Year, Mat Belcher has been named Rolex World Sailor of the Year at a ceremony in Oman overnight.
Mat, who had been nominated twice previously, is only the second Australian in history to win the prestigious global title which is bestowed upon the world’s top athlete across all disciplines of sailing.
Mat told The Daily Telegraph he was very honoured to win the title.
“When I heard my name called out, I was a little bit shocked. A little bit speechless,” Mat said.
The award tops off an extraordinary winning streak for Mat. Mat has won 17 consecutive regattas and not experienced a single loss since November 2011. He and team mate Will Ryan won a world title and were recently named Australian Sailors of the Year, and he won gold at the London Olympics in 2012.
In addition to becoming a new dad to baby Aaron just ten weeks ago, Mat is halfway through his Master’s degree in Sustainable Development at Bond, having completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Bond in 2009.
Mat, who is a member of the Bond Elite Sport Program (BESP) is a shining example of an elite athlete who is able to achieve both academically and on the world sporting stage whilst studying here at Bond.
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