Roland Matthes

East German Roland Matthes won the 100 and 200 metre backstrokes at both the 1968 and 1972 Games, making him the most successful of all Olympic backstroke swimmers. He also won two silver and one bronze medals in the relays and added his eighth Olympic medal (a bronze) in the 1976 100 metre backstroke. He set 16 world backstroke records (seven at 100 metres and nine at 200 metres), but was also a world class performer in other events, winning silver medals at the European Championships in the freestyle and butterfly and setting three European butterfly records. Matthes was undefeated from 1967 to 1974 in the backstroke, when he was defeated by American John Naber, who succeeded him as Olympic backstroke champion in 1976. Matthes also won the backstroke double at the 1970 and 1974 European Championships and the 1973 World Championships, and won 15 individual national titles in various events. He was briefly married to East German Olympic swimmer Kornelia Ender.