Matt Klotz Takes Down Deaf World Record in 50 Back

LSU swimmer Matt Klotz broke the deaf world record in the 50-meter backstroke to open the 2017 Deaflympics in Samsun, Turkey, garnering the first gold medal for Team USA at this year’s Games.

Klotz touched the wall at 26.26 to best the previous record of 27.05 by Russia’s Igor Zhuravlev, who placed second in the event.

“I’m happy for Matt to gain a new deaf world record. He has a lot of racing left, so to get one that he didn’t previously have is a great start to the meet and hopefully implies that he has some great racing ahead of him,” said head swimming coach Dave Geyer.

Klotz, who is competing in his second Deaflympics, compiled eight top-10 finishes in 14 events at the 2013 Sofia Games in Bulgaria, earning two gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke and the bronze in the 400-meter individual medley.

The Cameron Park, California, native also holds both world records and Deaflympics records in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke and was voted as the 2013 USA Deaf Sports Male Athlete of the Year.

This past season for LSU, Klotz clocked the ninth-fastest time in program history in the 100-yard backstroke with a finish at 48.07 in the Art Adamson Invitational.

Press release courtesy of LSU Athletics.

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Michael Maloney

6 years ago

This may sound a bit callious…..how does being deaf keep you from becoming a great swimmer….would Katie Ledecky still be Katie Ledecky if the only thing different about her was the ability to hear…..if she did the same exact training etc….it wouldnt effect her at all…..can we start a one finger missing olympics for track and field…..or a olympics for people who have bad tastebuds….are not the paralympics and special olympics enough….just saying

Saime Kucuk

6 years ago

Hi first Think, deaf peaple apend double eford for to understend
Who are stupid . If they are intelligent then not Deaf peaple, they put them life with family to learn. Until 3 years old I did not notice my nice deaf . She cover up here self . I thought she think life is like heres. She has leat hearing, what sound she was giving like speaking, it cames to me like mixing alfebetik sound. She has smile face, make here hand as saying samtining.
After 3 years my brothers his wife to found the way.
They send special scool for the pronounced. Also family …
Mostly she never understand our joke. It cames silly.
In them worl tjey don’t want down. THEY CAN IGNORE.
GIVE UP, sad…. But this is not give up life. In
Normal peaple olimpik if they put sound light sistem ,they can swiim with ather.
To me they deserve this privilege. Both normal and healthy people face normal Olympics. Their investment for their lives in this sport. This message mostly who think of like
Michael Maloney !!!
I live in England london Michael. If you want to understand how the peaple feeling, In my half engalsh I can talk about this !
On this game What I don’t like, who is experience, age limit.
Also how many time nead get meda?
Some woamn is 16,some woman is 43 ! They are swimming together. Tjey have to swim same age gruo, migt be less swimer will be in the compatition.
Them body mussels not same. Experiance not same.
This is up normal.
On the game time 1 min before, unrespectifly she stan in side woter front of Reyhan Betül Kucuk .whic she was getting ready
Prepared for the race. Same swimmer, Standing in pool on here line talking with ather girl !!!
Attention has been tried to put into distribution, different psychology. This is unacceptable.
In deaflimpik has to put mor rules in.
One world for this lady : swim with in your age group.
How many more goldes you need for your dougter.? Or
For here Wedding?
Regard saime kucuk