Matthew Stephen Targett (born 24 December 1985) is an Australian sprint
freestyle and
butterflyswimmer and model.
Career
2006 Commonwealth Games
In 2006 and in his home town of Melbourne, Targett competed in the
50-metre butterfly, finishing second and placing above more experienced countrymen
Michael Klim and
Matt Welsh. Targett was later disqualified for twitching before the starter's signal.
Matt Targett's first world championships came in 2009 in Rome, Italy, he swam 4 races on day one, and thus not looking in peak form in the
4×100-metre freestyle relay, with the absence of
Ashley Callus and
Eamon Sullivan, Australia was never in medal territory. Everything turned around on night 2, when he captured a silver in the
50-metre butterfly,[2] with a terrific first 35 meters, he started to even up and he was touched out by
Milorad Čavić by six hundredths. On the final day of competition he anchored the
4×100-metre medley relay to bronze.
In 2010, amidst sickness, Targett finished 5th in 50-metre butterfly and 14th in the 100-metre freestyle at the
Telstra Australian Swimming Trials and failed to qualify for a second Commonwealth Games.
2011 World Championships
On night 1,
James Magnussen was the starter for the Australian relay team for the
4×100-metre freestyle relay, setting a swift 47.49 to get a large lead over
Michael Phelps and
Alain Bernard. Targett swam the second leg to extend the lead, Australia lead the whole way changing over to the 3rd leg with
Matt Abood, finishing with sprinting veteran
Eamon Sullivan holding off a strong finish by France. Night 2 brought more success, capturing silver again in the
50-metre butterfly behind
César Cielo, his compatriot
Geoff Huegill finishing with the bronze. In the lead up to these championships, Targett developed a reputation at his club for his intensive strength regime outside the pool.
2012 Olympics
Targett was only selected for the
4×100-metre freestyle relay alongside countrymen
James Magnussen,
Eamon Sullivan and
James Roberts. As favorites leading up to the London Games, the team was dubbed "Weapons of Mass Destruction" by the Australian media. The morning team, of which Targett and Sullivan were not part of, qualified fastest for the final. In what has been named by some to be "darkest day" in swimming in recent memory,[who?] the team came only 4th behind France, the US and Russia. After a slow start by Magnussen, Targett as second swimmer held on to gain a position, while Sullivan, who had the fastest split of the team retained third place, however anchor James Roberts was unable to hold off a Russian powerhouse team, and was pipped at the wall and finished in 4th position.
In a surprise decision by the Australian coaching staff, Targett was selected to swim the butterfly leg of the
4×100-metre medley relay in the heats. Targett swam a 51.30 and as a result was placed into the team for the final along with
Hayden Stoeckel,
Christian Sprenger and
James Magnussen. Australia cinched bronze in the final, behind the US who claimed gold and only 0.32 of a second behind Japan. [3]
Modeling career
In 2012 Targett launched his career as a male model, signing with Melbourne editorial agency Chadwick Models.