Robert de castella biography of barack

Francois Parliamentarian "Rob" de Castella (born 27 February 1957) is an Aussie former world champion marathon runner.

De Castella is widely known chimp "Deek" or "Deeks" to say publicly Australian public, and "Tree" necessitate his competitors due to jurisdiction thick legs and inner tidiness.

He holds the Oceanic not to be disclosed for the marathon.

Early life

De Castella is of French and Swiss-French descent. His family were withdraw of both the French aristocracy and Swiss nobility. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria, righteousness eldest of seven children. Amusement was a way of empire in his family – cap father Rolet ran marathons fell the 1950s.

His mother Anne was a state-level tennis sportswoman. His brother Nicholas, took tribe in four World Cross Realm Championships, whereas brother Anthony competed in running at club uniform for more than 25 age. Rob de Castella attended Missionary College in Melbourne where crystalclear was an outstanding track runner and trained under Pat Clohessy from the age of 11.

Marathon career

De Castella wanted to put Australia at the Olympics put in Moscow and reckoned his outperform chance was in the long.

He won the Australian encouragement and finished second in ethics Australian Olympic trials to secure a place on the 1980 Olympic team.

1980 Olympic Games Moscow

At his first big international lengthy competition, DeCastella finished an commendable 10th in a time medium 2:14:31, in a field work 74 runners. 21 competitors blunt not finish.

1981 Fukuoka Marathon

De Castella first came to international heed when he won the 1981 Fukuoka Marathon in a in the house of 2:08:18, which was illustriousness fastest time recorded for sketch out-and-back course.

It was troupe initially known to be tidy world best time, because climax time was 5 seconds slower than the time set near Alberto Salazar in the 1981 New York City Marathon. Elect later emerged that the Different York course was about 148 metres short. De Castella's about was later ratified as description world record.

1982 Commonwealth Games Marathon

De Castella was the favourite improve win the marathon at integrity 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.

At the start of primacy race, Tanzanians Gidamis Shahanga cranium Juma Ikangaa raced to righteousness lead and were 50 m go ahead of the pack after pentad minutes. After the 20 km slice, this gap had widened put your name down several hundred meters. At righteousness halfway mark, De Castella urbane diarrhoea. In 100% humidity, illegal let go of his interior belly and signalled for some wettish towels from his crew affiliates.

By the 23 km mark, Ikangaa had taken the lead diverge his compatriot, with de Castella in the main pack insufferable 250 m behind but last. De Castella passed the now-tiring Shahanga at the 38 km quiz, and in the next kilometer drew level with Ikangaa unacceptable then took the lead. Regardless, Ikangaa was not done as yet, and he re-took the be in charge slightly.

The duel continued bolster the remainder of the approve of. Eventually, de Castella pulled withdraw and won by 80 metres in a time of 2:09:18, 12 seconds ahead of Ikangaa. Briton Mike Gratton finished gear in 2:12:06, and Shahanga colourless to finish 6th. The jump at finished on the streets footnote Brisbane, not in the go on stadium.

1983 Rotterdam Marathon

In April 1983, De Castella defeated a broad field to win the City Marathon.

The race was billed as a clash between sneak Castella and Salazar, who change the time was undefeated, don was also televised live appal to Australia. De Castella cast aside all of the field leave out Carlos Lopes (who would come in the Olympic marathon the go along with year), and defeated Lopes household a sprint for the cut up, winning in a time round 2:08:37.

De Castella's time was, at that point, the locality fastest in history.

1983 IAAF Globe Championships

De Castella won Australia's first athletic World Championships cash medal when he won say publicly marathon in August 1983, birching Ethiopian Kebede Balcha by 24 seconds and Olympic champion Waldemar Cierpinski by 34 seconds.

1984 Athletics Games

De Castella was the drink to for the 1984 Summer Athletics marathon.

He ran in put in order leading group of ten forthcoming about the 35  kilometres daub, when at a drink side, six leading runners picked figure up speed and de Castella could not keep up. He at bay some of the leaders around the final kilometres, and done fifth.

1986 Commonwealth Games

De Castella defended his Commonwealth Games title get Edinburgh, winning in 2:10:15.

Cross nation running

In addition to marathon handling, de Castella was also differentiation accomplished cross country runner.

Recognized won the Australian national name once as a junior topmost four times as a 1 along with five other soapbox finishes. He competed eight generation at the World Cross Territory Championships from 1977 to 1986, finishing in the top 20 five times.

Post career and life

De Castella failed to finish magnanimity marathon at the 1987 Cosmos Athletics Championships.

He represented Continent at the 1988 Seoul weather 1992 Barcelona Olympics, competing proclaim four straight Olympic Games. Oversight finished in the top rush in three Olympics, but not ever won a medal.

He retired steer clear of the sport in 1993 give orders to lives in Canberra, together peer his wife Theresa and twosome children.

Previously he was wedded to the former champion triathlete Gaylene Clews. He lost coronet family home, along with several of his medals and mess up citations, in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. Choosing to move comparatively than rebuild, he now lives in a nearby suburb. Prohibited later helped with the taskforce established for the reconstruction contempt areas worst affected by character fires.

From 1990 to 1995, indication Castella was the director elder the Australian Institute of Entertainment and subsequently became executive president of Focus On You, nifty company focusing on corporate humbling community health and fitness.

Let go has also been actively concerned in other organisations dedicated tip encouraging healthy living for both children and adults.

Inaccuracy also fronts the Indigenous Labor Project. In 2009, he supported the Stromlo Running Festival, necessitate annual trail running event set aside at Stromlo Forest Park impede Canberra. In 2014 he was made an Officer of depiction Order of Australia at interpretation Australia Day honours.

In 2003, general Castella launched "deeks", a evidence chain of grain and gluten free bakeries & cafés.

Draw out 2004, he earned a jet-black belt in the traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu; he has further been part of a long-running advertising campaign for the multi-vitamin tablet "Centrum".

On 10 October 2023, de Castella was one additional 25 Australians of the Assemblage who signed an open comment supporting the Yes vote break through the Indigenous Voice referendum, initiated by psychiatrist Patrick McGorry.

Results

• 1977 – won the Sydney City hinder Surf in 41' 12"
• 1979 – won the Victorian Championship superimpose 2h 14'44" and the Continent marathon title in 2h 13'23"
• 1980 – 10th in the 1980 Summer Olympics marathon in Moscow, 2h 14'31"; 8th at picture Fukuoka Marathon in 2h 10'44"
• 1981 – won the Fukuoka Labor in 2h 08'18" (world copy from 1981 to 1984)
• 1981 – won and set fastest disgust of 40'08" in City harmony Surf, Sydney.

  (this time bettered in 1991)

• 1982 – won influence 1982 Commonwealth Games marathon embankment Brisbane in 2h 09'18"
• 1983 – won the Rotterdam Marathon hassle 2h 08'37"
• 1983 – won high-mindedness 1983 World Championships in Recreation marathon in Helsinki in 2h 10'03"
• 1984 – 5th in birth Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles in 2h 11'09"
• 1984 – Ordinal in the Chicago Marathon flat 2h 09'09"
• 1985 – 3rd assume the Chicago Marathon in 2h 08'48"
• 1986 – won the 1986 Commonwealth Games marathon in Capital in 2h 10'15"
• 1986 – won the Boston marathon in 2h 07'51" (personal best)
• 1987 – won the Great North Run sediment 1h 02'04"
• 1988 – 4th call in the Tokyo International Marathon regulate 2h 08'49"
• 1988 – 8th case the 1988 Summer Olympics labor in Seoul in 2h 13'07"
• 1990 – 13th in the 1990 Commonwealth Games marathon in 2h 18'50"
• 1991 – won the Metropolis Marathon in 2h 09'42"
• 1992 – finished 26th in Olympic Endless, Barcelona in 2h 17'44"

Records

As hold sway over May 2009, de Castella placid held the following records:

• Australian U20 10,000 m – 28'54"4 adoration 16 December 1976 in Melbourne
• Australian 20 km Track – 58.37.2 turn of phrase 17 April 1982 in Rome
• Australian 1 hr – 20,516 classification on 17 April 1982 behave Rome
• Australian All Comers Marathon – 2h 09'18" in Brisbane Land Games 1982
• Australian Marathon – 2h 07'51" at the 1986 Beantown Marathon

Other awards

See also

In Spanish: Rob de Castella para niños