Michael Beckett

Last updated
Michael Beckett
Personal information
NicknameMicky
NationalityBritish
Born (1995-03-27) 27 March 1995 (age 29) [1]
Solva, Pembrokeshire, Wales [2]
Sailing career
Class ILCA 7
ClubSolva Sailing Club [2]
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Sailing
Sailing World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 The Hague Men's ILCA 7
ILCA 7 World Championship
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2024 Adelaide Australia Men's ILCA 7
ILCA European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2021 Varna Bulgaria Men's ILCA 7
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2018 La Rochelle France Men's ILCA 7
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2020 Gdansk Poland Men's ILCA 7
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2022 Hyeres France Men's ILCA 7

Michael "Micky" Beckett (born 27 March 1995) is a British sailor who won a gold medal at the 2021 ILCA European Championships and silver at the 2023 Sailing World Championships. He has been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Career

Beckett began competing aged 10 after learning to sail on his father's handmade boat. [3]

He won his first major medal when he claimed silver at the 2018 Laser European Championships in La Rochelle, France. [4] [5]

Beckett was part of a historic one-two-three for Great Britain at the 2020 ILCA European Championships in Gdansk, Poland, as he took silver with teammates Elliot Hanson and Lorenzo Chiavarini winning gold and bronze respectively. It was the first time that Britain had taken all three podium places at a major Laser class championship. [6] [7]

He finally won continental gold at the 2021 ILCA European Championships in Varna, Bulgaria, taking the title with a race to spare after leading throughout the competition. [8] [9]

Beckett took a third European Championship silver medal at the 2022 championships in Hyeres, France. [10] [11]

He won silver at the 2023 Sailing World Championships in The Hague, Netherlands, and in doing so he clinched an ILCA 7 qualification spot for Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics. [12] [13]

In October 2023 Beckett was named among the first 10 members of the British Sailing Team for the Paris Games. [14] [15]

Despite being given a penalty in the qualifying section, Beckett took a bronze medal at the ILCA 7 World Championship in Adelaide, Australia, in January 2024. [16] [17]

He then won the prestigious Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta in Palma, Mallorca, Spain, for the third successive year at the 53rd edition in April 2024. [18] [19]

Personal life

Beckett has a Ship Science degree from the University of Southampton. [3] He worked as a television producer for the sailing events at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. [2]

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References

  1. "Team GB profile of Michael Beckett". Team GB. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  2. 1 2 3 "Michael Beckett Profile". British Sailing Team. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  3. 1 2 "Beckett hoping extra sailing time during Covid will aid Olympic dreams". Ealing Times. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  4. "Michael Beckett wins silver at Laser European Championships". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  5. "Beckett scoops silver for Britain at Laser European Championships". Sail Web. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  6. "Podium lockout as Tokyo-bound Hanson scoops Euro title". yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  7. "Elliot Hanson takes European Laser gold as Britain fills the podium in Poland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  8. "European Sailing Championships: Michael Beckett wins ILCA 7 gold". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  9. "Micky Beckett storms to first ILCA 7 European Championship win". Sail World. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  10. "EurILCA 2022 Senior Europeans – Beckett finishes with Silver as Kontides Triumphes". Sail Web. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  11. "Beckett seals silver at ILCA Euros". British Sailing. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  12. "Sailing World Championships: Great Britain win four medals in final weekend in Netherlands". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  13. "ILCA classes at the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships - Overall". yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  14. "TEAM GB REVEALS FIRST ATHLETES FOR PARIS 2024". British Sailing. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  15. "Paris 2024 Olympics: Team GB reveals 10-strong sailing team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  16. "Micky Beckett: Welshman confident of Olympic success after World bronze". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  17. "TEAM GB'S MICKY BECKETT WINS BRONZE AT ILCA 7 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS". British Sailing. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  18. "Sailing: Brit Micky Beckett completes Princess Sofia hat-trick". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  19. "Welsh wizard Beckett inspires with Palma three-peat". yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 2024-06-11.