Two-Time Australian Olympian Matt Targett on Comeback Trail
Seven years after he retired as a two-time Australian Olympian, Matt Targett is back in the water and training under the watch of former Auburn coach and fellow countryman, Brett Hawke. A three-time Olympic medalist and once a mainstay on the Australian National Team, Targett has been working with Hawke for the past two months, training in the Los Angeles area.
On Thursday night, in a private meet held in San Diego, Targett raced the 100-meter freestyle in a short-course format and registered an impressive time of 49.12. If nothing else, the performance will garner attention from swim fans around the world, and spark conversations about what Targett might be capable of with additional work.
Now 34, Targett is in the second chapter of his career, following a seven-year hiatus from the rigors of daily training and international competition. While it’s too early to determine what Targett might be capable of in this second career, there is no questioning the success he had as an elite sprinter on the global stage.
An NCAA champion at Auburn University, Targett was a go-to performer for Australia in international waters. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Targett helped his homeland win a silver medal in the 400 medley relay and earned a bronze medal for his contributions to the 400 freestyle relay. Four years later, Targett left the 2012 Games in London with an Olympic bronze in the 400 medley relay.
At the 2011 World Championships, Targett contributed to Australia’s gold medal in the 400 freestyle relay and was the silver medalist in the 50 butterfly, a feat he also achieved at the 2009 World Champs.
Swimming World will have additional details on Targett’s return in the coming days.
Go Matt!