Paul Biedermann

Nickname

Supermann [Given to him due to his performance at the World Championships in Rome in 2009 when he became to first man to beat Michael Phelps in 200m freestyle at an international event in four years. (arenainternational.com, 31 Jul 2011)

Hobbies

Computers, music [heavy metal] and ice hockey. (paul-biedermann.de, 15 Dec 2010)

Club name

SV Halle, Halle, GER

Coach

Frank Embacher (swim.de, 17 Oct 2011)

Position and style

Freestyle (lsn-info.de, 14 Jun 2005)

Debut

2005 (paul-biedermann.de, 31 Jan 2007)

Injuries

He missed the 2004 German National Championships because he had to have his appendix removed. (ssc-karlsruhe.de, 14 Jun 2005)

Suffered a thigh injury in November 2009 which kept him out of competition for a month. (AP, 03 Nov 2009)

Additional information

Ambitions
To win a medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. When he was defeated by Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte at the World Championships in Shanghai in July 2011 he made it clear he aims to defeat them at the 2012 Olympic Games.  "My ambition was aroused again in Shanghai. I notice that I felt like I was hungry again. My pride is dented. Lochte and Phelps were ahead of me, which annoyed me. I want it twice as much now."
(welt.de, 27 Jul 2011)

Hero
When he was younger Ian Thorpe was his role model. He admires people who have overcome adversity like Matthias Steiner, a weightlifter who carried a photo of his wife who had died in a car accident a year previously on to the podium to receive his gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. (arenainternational.com, 31 Jul 2011)

Most influential person in career
He credits his mother's support as one of the primary reasons he has accomplished what he has in swimming. (arenainternational.com, 31 Jul 2011)



Awards
He was named Germany's 2009 Sportsman of the Year. (FINA Aquatic World Magazine, 01 Feb 2010)

Named Sportsman of the Year in the town of Halle [Saale], Germany for 2006. (halsport.de, 31 Jan 2007)

General
GIRLFRIEND
He started dating German swimmer Britta Steffen in 2009. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 14 Aug 2011)

PHELPS-BEATING SUIT CHARITY SALE
He auctioned off the suit he wore to victory over Michael Phelps in the World Championships in Rome 2009. He donated the €10,000 gained to a charity called ‘Ein Herz fur Kinder' [A Heart for Children] which assists children in need across the world. He is also the face of another charity called Sport Baut Brucken [Sport Builds Bridges] which is located in the Saxon-Anhalt region of Germany. The organisation helps to integrate the long-term unemployed into social networks by taking them on as volunteers in sports associations. He also provides swimming lessons to children and young swimmers. (arenainternational.com, 31 Jul 2011)

FAST FRIEND
He considers Formula 1 racing legend Michael Schumacher as a close friend who he discusses personal issues with more than sport. (arenainternational.com, 31 Jul 2011)

AMERICAN RIVALS
In an interview with BBC News in July 2011 he was asked how he felt about the casualness of the US athletes. "That's their mentality, their way of coping with the pressure. But also much about their play, which always say's everything is "fun", but their performance was not down to luck. I felt like their coaches have tried to read something from my game. But I believe that they had me a bit off but they know well that I can swim without a suit." (welt.de, 27 Jul 2011)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008