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Max Maeder

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Max Maeder
Maeder with other Singapore Olympians at the open-top bus parade in 2024
Personal information
Birth nameMaximilian Maeder
Nationality Singapore
Born (2006-09-12) 12 September 2006 (age 17)
Singapore
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight91 kg (201 lb)[1]
Sailing career
ClassFormula Kite
CoachJonny Dolenc
Competition record
Men's sailing
Representing  Singapore
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Formula Kite
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Hyères Formula Kite
Gold medal – first place 2023 The Hague Formula Kite
Silver medal – second place 2022 Cagliari Formula Kite
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Hangzhou Formula Kite
Youth World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Buzios Formula Kite
Gold medal – first place 2022 The Hague Formula Kite
Gold medal – first place 2021 Al Masnaah Formula Kite

Maximilian Maeder (Chinese: 墨士廉; pinyin: Mò Shìlián;[2] born 12 September 2006) is a Singaporean kitesurfer.[3] He is the reigning Formula Kite World, Asian, and European champion and holds the distinction of being the youngest winner in any Olympic sailing class competition, achieving this at the age of 16.[4]

He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the inaugural Men's Formula Kite event, where he reached the finals and won the bronze medal.[5] Maeder is also a three-time Formula Kite youth world champion in consecutive years from 2021 to 2023[6] and won various open championships across Europe, Asia and Pan America.[7]

Early life

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Maeder was born in Singapore to a family with mixed Eurasian heritage. His father, Valentin Maeder, is an ethnic Swiss German who emigrated to Singapore and became a Singaporean, and his mother, Teng Hwee Keng, is Singaporean.[8] He is the eldest among his siblings and has two younger brothers.[8] At the age of six, his father introduced him to kiteboarding[9] at his parents’ dive resort in Sulawesi, Indonesia.[10] When he was 10, his father encouraged him to venture into kitefoiling, a more advanced form of the sport. By the age of 11, Maeder had already competed in his first competitive pro racing.[3]

Career

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2018–2021: Early career and World #1

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Maeder's achievements began when he won his first competitive tournament in the Formula Kite Asian Championships in 2018.[9] He later emerged victorious at various tournaments such as the 2021 Formula Kite Youth World Championships (U19), Formula Kite Individual European Championships, Youth Sailing World Championships and KiteFoil World Series.[7] He also took part in his first Formula Kite World Championships in the same year, where he finished fifth.[11] On 20 September 2021, Maeder achieved his highest IKA - Formula Kite men's ranking of World No.1.[12][13]

2022: World Championships silver

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In 2022, success continued to follow with his second Formula Kite Youth World Championships (U21), Youth Sailing World Championships and Formula Kite Individual European Championships titles, as well his first Formula Kite Asia-Pacific Championships, Formula Kite Pan American Championships and Semaine Olympique Francaise De Voile victories.[7] In his second appearance at the Formula Kite World Championships, he finished as runner-up to Slovenia's Toni Vodišek.[14][15]

2023: World and Asian Champions

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In 2023, Maeder began his new season by winning the World Cup Series held on the Spanish island of Mallorca.[16] In July, he achieved a significant milestone by capturing his third consecutive Formula Kite Youth World Championships victory.[13][17] Additionally, in August, Maeder also secured his first Formula Kite World Championships title.[18] This accomplishment came as he defeated his rival, Toni Vodišek, and set a new record as the youngest winner in any Olympic sailing class competition, all at the age of 16.[5] Maeder good form continued at the delayed 2022 Asian Games where he won Singapore's first gold medal at the quadrennial games.[4] He finished the season strongly by winning the KiteFoil World Series and clinching his third Youth Sailing World Championships title.[19]

2024: Consecutive World title and Olympic debut

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Maeder, who was ranked 6th in the world at the time, opened the 2024 season by winning the European Championships.[20] He followed this success with victories at the World Cup Series[21] and the Semaine Olympique Française De Voile.[22] In May, he claimed his second Formula Kite World Championships title by overcoming Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi, the world’s top-ranked Formula Kite men’s sailor, who finished in second place ahead of Austria’s Valentin Bontus.[22][23] That same year, Maeder debuted at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, competing in the Men's Formula Kite.[24]

Maeder won a bronze medal on 9 August 2024, Singapore's National Day, becoming the youngest Olympic medalist of Singapore at the age of 17.[25]

Personal life

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In addition to his native English, Maeder also understands Mandarin, German and French.[9] In 2024, he was granted a deferment from his National Service (NS) obligations where he could continue to train and compete until after the 2028 Summer Olympics.[26]

Awards and nominations

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Maeder was nominated for the following lists and awards :

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Maximilian Maeder - Forward Wip". Forward Wip. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ Zhang, Qianxue; Low, Ken (13 August 2024). "墨士廉外公：让他先尽情跟大家分享快乐 我们会在家等着他" [Max Maeder's grandfather: Let him share his happiness with everyone first, we will wait for him at home]. Lianhe Zaobao. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Maximilian Maeder Sailing.Org Profile". World Sailing. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder wins Singapore's first gold medal at Asian Games". Channel News Asia. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Max Maeder: An athlete for four seasons". World Sailing. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  6. ^ "16-year-old Singapore kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder crowned world champion". Channel News Asia. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Results". World Sailing. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Raising Independent Children". ActiveSG Circle. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Just 15, Maximilian Maeder could well be Singapore's next Olympic medallist, The Straits Times, retrieved 24 August 2023
  10. ^ Ma, Sylvia (8 August 2024). "Paris Olympics: meet Max Maeder, the kite surfer on verge of Singapore's second gold ever". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "2021 Formula Kite World Championships". formulakite.org. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Ranking History". World Sailing. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder earns first sailing spot at Paris Olympics for Singapore". Yahoo! News. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  14. ^ Kwek, Kimberly (16 October 2022). "Kitefoiling: Maximilian Maeder wins silver at Formula Kite World Championships". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  15. ^ "First world title for Vodisek, No.6 for Moroz". formulakite.org. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Winners all but Trofeo Princesa Sofia goes to Singapore's Formula Kite rider Max Maeder". trofeoprincesasofia.org. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Singapore and France blazing to the top of the [youth] world!". formulakite.org. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  18. ^ Kwek, Kimberly (20 August 2023). "Double joy as kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder wins world title, gets Olympic quota spot". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  19. ^ Ang, Ervin (16 December 2023). "Singapore kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder wraps up successful year with Youth Sailing World Championships title". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  20. ^ Teoh, Melvyn (24 March 2024). "Singaporean sailor Maximilian Maeder wins 2024 Formula Kite European Championships". The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  21. ^ Ganesan, Deepanraj (7 April 2024). "Singaporean kitefoiler Max Maeder collects wins, and experience, ahead of Olympics". The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  22. ^ a b Rifhan, Khalis (20 May 2024). "Max Maeder retains Formula Kite World Championships". The Independent Singapore News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  23. ^ "'An experience to remember': Singapore's Maximilian Maeder hungry for more after second straight world title". CNA. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  24. ^ Mohan, Matthew (8 July 2024). "How Olympic medal hope Max Maeder was raised as a 'decision-maker' – who would choose Singapore 'over and over again'". CNA. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Kitefoiler Max Maeder clinches Olympic bronze, makes history as Singapore's youngest Games medallist". CNA. 9 August 2024.
  26. ^ "Singapore world champion kitefoiler Max Maeder granted National Service deferment". CNA. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  27. ^ Chia, Laura (1 April 2022). "ST Athlete of the Year: Kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder rises above and beyond". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  28. ^ Chia, Laura (29 March 2023). "ST Athlete of the Year nominee: Maximilian Maeder's letter to his future self". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  29. ^ Ganesan, Deepanraj (10 November 2022). "Loh Kean Yew wins his first Sportsman of the Year award". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Feng Tianwei, Sheik Farhan win sportswoman and sportsman of the year awards for 2023". Channel News Asia. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  31. ^ Teoh, Melvyn (18 October 2023). "Champion kitefoiler Max Maeder is first Singaporean nominated for World Sailor of the Year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  32. ^ Kwek, Kimberly (4 June 2024). "Sprinter Shanti Pereira, bowler Darren Ong win top accolades at 2024 Singapore Sports Awards". The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
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