Maxwell Raymond Metzker (born 8 March 1960) was a

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

n-born long-distance freestyle swimmer who represented Australia in the late 1970s and early 1980s, who won a bronze medal in the 1500 m freestyle at the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...

in Moscow. He was a co-flagbearer with

Denise Boyd Denise Margaret Robertson-Boyd (born 15 December 1952) is an Australian former Olympic sprinter, who reached two Olympic finals in the 200 metres sprint. Boyd won the gold medal for 200 metres at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. Boyd's ...

at the opening ceremony, when Australia marched under the Olympic flag to protest the Soviet Union's invasion of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. Metzker first showed his international pedigree in the pool at the

1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...

in Montreal, coming sixth in the 1500-metre freestyle and 13th in the 400-metre event. He had his first international success at the

1978 Commonwealth Games The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec. They were boycotted by Nigeria, in protest at New Zealand's sporting contacts with apar ...

in Edmonton, Canada, winning a gold and bronze medal in the 1500-metre and 400-metre freestyle respectively. He also claimed a gold medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay. In Moscow, Metzker trailed the great Soviet swimmer

Vladimir Salnikov Vladimir Valeryevich Salnikov (russian: Владимир Валерьевич Сальников; born 21 May 1960) is a Russian former freestyle swimmer who competed for the Soviet Union and set 12 world records in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meter ...

home by some 25 seconds. Salnikov broke the world record, being the first man to break the 15-minute barrier. Metzker was pipped to the silver by just 0.19 of a second by Salnikov's compatriot Aleksandr Chaev. Metzker also reached the final of the 400-metre freestyle and the 4×200-metre freestyle relay, finishing seventh in both. Metzker retired from international competition with another gold in the 1500-metre freestyle at the

1982 Commonwealth Games The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Australia, from 30 September to 9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium (named after Elizabeth II), in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the a ...

in Brisbane.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Metzker, Max 1960 births Living people Sportspeople from Durban South African emigrants to Australia Australian male freestyle swimmers Swimmers at the 1976 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1980 Summer Olympics Olympic swimmers for Australia Swimmers at the 1978 Commonwealth Games Olympic bronze medalists in swimming Olympic bronze medalists for Australia Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia Medallists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games

See also

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