After 15 months away from his ILCA7 dinghy, double Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn is back, refreshed, refocused, and ready to make history again. He has confirmed his return to the water and announced a campaign towards the LA 2028 Olympic Games, aiming to achieve the unprecedented feat of winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the Men’s Dinghy class.
Wearn stated, “I’ll be continuing to do an LA campaign, trying to go to a third Olympics and ultimately do the three-peat.” Following his victories in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, he has become the first sailor to win back-to-back Olympic golds in the Men’s Dinghy ILCA7 (formerly Laser).
Reflecting on the pressure of defending his title, Wearn noted, “Defending it last time, there was that pressure there, and obviously, no one had done it before either.” This time, he feels the experience will be different. “I think I’ve proven the first time wasn’t a fluke and that I can turn up and win that gold medal. To have the chance to maybe go back and do it again, hopefully in a bit more of a relaxed environment, to enjoy the experience of the campaign rather than just the pressure of defending – that’s exciting.”
Time to Reset
The road between Tokyo and Paris was difficult for Wearn, with the Olympic cycle shortened to three years and a battle with long-COVID that sidelined him for a full season. He admitted, “It felt like it was all against the clock the whole time.” After Paris, Wearn recognised the need for a complete reset, both physically and mentally, to rediscover his love for sailing.
“It’s been super important to have this time off,” he said. “It’s been about 15 months now, which feels like it’s flown by. I’ve been able to switch off completely, ride my bike when I want, go to the gym if I feel like it.” During this time, he expanded his sailing experience, competing in various events, including the Etchells World Championship and aboard the Maxi yacht Leopard 3.
Additionally, Wearn began sharing his knowledge as a coach with the Australian Sailing Futures men’s squad at the U21 ILCA World Championships in Ireland. “It’s been nice to go and do some other sailing and find the enjoyment again,” he said.
Recently, Wearn felt the urge to return to the ILCA. “After about 12 months out, I started getting itchy feet. I didn’t think I’d miss it, but I started realising how fun ILCA sailing is.”
A Legacy Forged in Mateship and Competition
Wearn’s return continues a remarkable Australian legacy in the ILCA7, with four straight Olympic gold medals shared among Tom Slingsby, Tom Burton, and Wearn himself. The internal competition within the class remains fierce, with a new generation of talented sailors emerging, pushing the standard even higher. Now 30 years old, Wearn has become a senior figure in the Australian ILCA7 squad.
“It’s definitely a big difference from the last quad,” he stated. “We’ve got quite a new generation of sailors coming through, and the level is really high. It’s great to see guys like Zac [Littlewood] and Ethan [McAullay] pushing it at senior events and getting on the podium.”
Wearn welcomes this competition, having thrived on it in his career. He reminisced about the motivating rivalry with Tom Burton and expressed eagerness for similar experiences in the future.
New Balance, Shared Dreams
With his fourth Olympic campaign underway, Wearn acknowledges a different approach will be necessary. “It’s going to be a different approach,” he said. “Quality over quantity is going to be a big thing, finding that balance of pushing hard and being on the water, but also giving myself time to chill out and reset.”
A motivating factor for Wearn is sharing this journey with his wife, Emma Plasschaert, a two-time World Champion and fellow sailor aiming for her third Olympics. “To be able to live on the circuit and do that together is pretty cool,” he said. “Hopefully, in LA we can both be standing on the podium and celebrate that afterwards.”
Eyes on LA
Wearn’s Olympic journey has not been without challenges, from missing Rio 2016 to battling illness before Paris. However, his pride in representing Australia remains strong. “I’ve had that opportunity twice before to put on the green and gold and walk out with the rest of the team,” he said. “Just to have that opportunity again is enough motivation to strive to go to another Games.”
Wearn’s competitive return will commence at Sail Melbourne later this year, followed by the Australian ILCA National Championships in Tasmania in January. With renewed energy, a clean slate, and history on the line, Matt Wearn is ready to write the next chapter of his Olympic story.
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