Robert Scheidt

Robert Scheidt (born 15 April 1973) is a Brazilian sailor who has won two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze from five Olympic Games and a Star Sailors League Final. He is one of the most successful sailors at Olympic Games and one of the most successful Brazilian Olympic athletes, being one of only two to earn five medals along with fellow sailor Torben Grael, and only behind the six medals of Rebeca Andrade. He is the only Brazilian sailor to win medals in both dinghy and keelboat classes.

He is widely considered to be one of the greatest sailors of all time.

Early career

Scheidt was born in São Paulo to Fritz Scheidt and Karin Kreuger Scheidt. His father gave him his first boat when he was nine, and Robert began practising in the Guarapiranga dam. With the help of Dudu Melchert, his coach, he began winning several competitions.

At the age of 11, Scheidt became the South American Champion in the Optimist class, in Algarrobo, Chile, in 1985 and again in 1986. Because of his wins, he was chosen to represent Brazil in the Optimist World Championship in 1986. This was the turning point of his career and made him decide to quit tennis and focus on sailing.

Because his weight and height exceeded the Optimist recommendations, he began sailing in the Snipe class, and was second at the 1989 Brazilian Snipe Junior Championship, and champion in 1990, 1991 and 1992. In 1990, he also began sailing Lasers and became Brazilian junior champion and was called to represent Brazil in the Junior World Championships, held in Netherlands. Following this championship, he trained in Denmark and Sweden and participated for the first time in the Kiel Week. In 1991, he sailed a good and consistent regatta, won 10 out of the 11 races, and became Laser Junior World Champion in Scotland.