Aussie Sailing Legend Matt Wearn Claims Major Victory in Bid to Emulate Fraser and Hoy

Sailing icon Matt Wearn has begun his journey to emulate swimming great Dawn Fraser and equestrian hero Andrew Hoy at the 2028 Olympics with a triumphant display in Spain over the weekend.

Wearn donned his sailing gear for his initial international competition since the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking the start of his Los Angeles 2028 campaign at the Sailing Grand Slam regatta held at Spain’s Trofeo Princesa Sofía.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist showcased an impressive performance, clinching the ILCA 7 title — a category where sailors compete head-to-head in small single-handed dinghies.

Only two Australians have secured Olympic gold in the same event across three consecutive Games: Fraser, achieving this in the 100m freestyle at Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, and Tokyo 1964, alongside Hoy, who accomplished it in team eventing during Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000.

If Wearn captures gold in the ILCA 7 at the Los Angeles Olympics in two years, he will join this elite group.

“It’s incredible to be back on the top step [of the podium],” Wearn said beaming in Spain.

“I honestly didn’t anticipate achieving this result at this stage of the campaign… but I’m absolutely thrilled to be winning in Palma. It’s been a few years since my last victory here, so it’s fantastic to kick off the [Olympic] campaign in Europe with a win.”

Even Olympic champions like Wearn experience moments of self-doubt.

“There was always a bit of uncertainty about whether coming back after a break would mean struggling and questioning where I stood in the fleet. So, yes, it’s incredibly reassuring to find myself right at the front, and it instills us with confidence as we move into the next few years that we’re on the right path, and things can only improve,” Wearn remarked.

Wearn previously won gold in the ILCA 7 at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, when the discipline was known as laser, and successfully defended his title in Paris.

The Perth native became the first-ever back-to-back Olympic champion in the men’s dinghy category in France.

The Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta marked the commencement of the Sailing Grand Slam season, with the next event being the Semaine Olympique Française regatta, set to occur in France later this month.