Sascha Kindred
Encyclopedia
Sascha Kindred OBE
(born 13 December 1977 in Münster
, Germany
) is a British
swimmer
who competed in the Paralympic Games
on four occasions, winning eleven medals.
, Kindred moved to Britain
at the age of 3. He began swimming for a club at the age of 11. He attended Mossley Hollins High School and Kaskenmoor secondary school for a short period of time before going into training at local swimming clubs such as Oldham.
Kindred has cerebral palsy
, which affects the right side of his body. He competes in the S6 (butterfly
), SM6 (medley
) and SB7 (breaststroke
) classifications.
in Atlanta 1996
and won a silver medal in the 100 m breaststroke SB7
.
At the 2000 games
in Sydney
, Kindred won two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze. He described the games as his biggest sporting achievement so far.
In the 2004 Athens Paralympics
, Kindred won two gold medals, successfully defending the 100 m breaststroke SB7
and 200 m individual medley SM6 titles he had won in Sydney. He also won a bronze medal in the 4×50 m freestyle
20 pts.
Kindred won his fifth Paralympic gold in the 200 m individual medley SM6
at the 2008 Games
in Beijing
, where he set a new world record time of 2:49.19 and earned the title for the third consecutive year. He then won a second gold of the games, six titles overall, and set another world record of 1:22.18 in the 100 m breaststroke SB7. The third medal he won was a bronze in the 50 m butterfly S6.
In addition to his success in the Paralympics, Kindred has won 12 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze) at IPC
World Championships, 15 medals (8 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze) at European Championships, and a gold medal at the 2006 Paralympic World Cup
in Manchester
.
. Together, the pair are known as the "golden couple" of British disability swimming.
He includes amongst his sporting heroes Eric Cantona
, Michael Johnson
and Carl Lewis
, and is a supporter of Manchester United.
Kindred was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 13 December 1977 in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who competed in the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
on four occasions, winning eleven medals.
Early life
Born in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Kindred moved to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at the age of 3. He began swimming for a club at the age of 11. He attended Mossley Hollins High School and Kaskenmoor secondary school for a short period of time before going into training at local swimming clubs such as Oldham.
Kindred has cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, which affects the right side of his body. He competes in the S6 (butterfly
Butterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
), SM6 (medley
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
) and SB7 (breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
) classifications.
Paralympic career
Kindred first competed at the Paralympic GamesParalympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
in Atlanta 1996
1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
and won a silver medal in the 100 m breaststroke SB7
Swimming at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
Swimming at the 1996 Summer Paralympics consisted of 168 events, 87 for men and 81 for women. Because of a tie in the men's 100 m freestyle S4 event, a total of 169 bronze medals were awarded.-Medal table:...
.
At the 2000 games
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Kindred won two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze. He described the games as his biggest sporting achievement so far.
In the 2004 Athens Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
, Kindred won two gold medals, successfully defending the 100 m breaststroke SB7
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in the Olympic Aquatic Centre was competed in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly , the breaststroke and individual medley ....
and 200 m individual medley SM6 titles he had won in Sydney. He also won a bronze medal in the 4×50 m freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
20 pts.
Kindred won his fifth Paralympic gold in the 200 m individual medley SM6
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
The swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
at the 2008 Games
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, where he set a new world record time of 2:49.19 and earned the title for the third consecutive year. He then won a second gold of the games, six titles overall, and set another world record of 1:22.18 in the 100 m breaststroke SB7. The third medal he won was a bronze in the 50 m butterfly S6.
In addition to his success in the Paralympics, Kindred has won 12 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze) at IPC
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
World Championships, 15 medals (8 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze) at European Championships, and a gold medal at the 2006 Paralympic World Cup
Paralympic World Cup
The Paralympic World Cup is an annual international multi-sport event for elite athletes with a disability, that has been hosted in Manchester, England since 2005. It is organized by the British Paralympic Association in coordination with the International Paralympic Committee .As of 2011, the...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Personal life
Kindred's girlfriend is fellow British Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Nyree LewisNyree Lewis
Nyree Elise Lewis MBE is a Welsh swimmer who has competed in the Paralympic Games on three occasions winning nine medals.-Early life:...
. Together, the pair are known as the "golden couple" of British disability swimming.
He includes amongst his sporting heroes Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
and Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis
Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 gold, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold. His career spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and...
, and is a supporter of Manchester United.
Kindred was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
See also
- Great Britain at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsGreat Britain at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsGreat Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Great Britain sent a delegation of around 400, of which 212 were athletes, to compete in eighteen sports at the Games...
- List of Paralympic records in swimming
- Swimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
- Swimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in the Olympic Aquatic Centre was competed in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly , the breaststroke and individual medley ....
- Swimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics comprised a total of 169 events, 91 for men and 78 for women. Swimmers were classified according to the extent and type of their disability.- Men's events :- Women's events :...
- Swimming at the 1996 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 1996 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 1996 Summer Paralympics consisted of 168 events, 87 for men and 81 for women. Because of a tie in the men's 100 m freestyle S4 event, a total of 169 bronze medals were awarded.-Medal table:...
External links
- 'The Golden Couple' — A blog written by Kindred's twin brother Timo Kindred detailing the progress of him and Nyree Lewis
- Personal website
- British Swimming athlete profile