"Even now thinking about it I get goosebumps". The Olympics closing ceremony as experienced by Mr. Matkovich.

During the 2024 Olympics, our Junior School had so much fun learning about the Olympics, learning to follow your dreams, never give up, and anything is possible; as beautifully told by Mr. Matkovich, an Aquinas PE teacher and Boarding Supervisor of Pinder Boor House. Mr. Matkovich swam for Australia in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, taking home a silver medal.

What was your best memory at the 2004 Olympics in Athens?

My best memory was the closing ceremony. Walking out in front of 100,000 people with with all of the lights and cameras and looking up at the stadium where the track and field events took place and eve now thinking about it I get goosebumps.

What was your most memorable moment?

Meeting other sportsmen who I looked up to and admired, like LeBron James.

How did you prepare physically for the Olympics?

My day would start at 4:30am and I would arrive at the pool and stretch for 20 mins, then swim training would be 2.5 hours (6 – 7 kms in the pool). Then I would do a weights session from 11am – 12pm, 3 times per week and another 2.5 hour swimming session in the afternoon.

What were some of your biggest challenges during your Olympic journey?

Making sure my body was fit and able and injury free to perform at my peak. There were days I would struggle to get out of bed because I was that sore.

What inspired you to become a teacher after your athletic career?

I've always had a passion for sport and I was motivated to inspire young kids to also be passionate to perform at their best.

What advice would you give to students who aspire to excel in both academics and sports?

I was told a million times that I will never be an Olympian when I changed from International Waterpolo to a swimmer. But I didn’t let anyone or anything get in the way of my goal. And I never gave up. Even the times when I thought I couldn’t carry on, I kept going.

I missed a spot for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and it would have been easy to give up there and then. I had made the Australian Olympics trials final in the 200m Freestyle (top 8 in Australia – and I came 7^th in the final against the likes of Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Michael Klim, Bill Kirby, Todd Pearson, Kieran Perkins who are all now Olympic Gold Medallists), so it would have been easy to hang my hat on that and walk away. But instead I use that ‘failure’ as a weapon for success to drive me to find ways to get better and better.

That is my advice to anyone who wants to achieve their goals in life. Don’t ever give up.