Matt Speakman

Sportsman, Public Speaker, Mentor

Activities

About Matt Speakman

Matt in his Revolution race gear

Matt Speakman was born in Tasmania in 1966.
He left the state and moved to Sydney when he was 18.
He had a varied working career as a model, nightclub manager, hairdresser, painter and panelbeater/spraybeater.

This Sporting Life

It was always his dream to play professional sports.
At school he was a gifted natural sportsman excelling in all sports. He represented Southern Tasmania in soccer in his teens.
He was always intrigued by motorcycles and bought his first bike (Suzuki GSX 250) aged 16, much to his parents horror. He had started riding motorbikes aged 10. (See left)

He played senior football, and baseball after moving to Sydney and represented NSW in gridiron. His real love was racing motorbikes and he pursued this sport with a passion as fund would allow.
His professional sporting dreams were realised on the 18th March 1993 when he took delivery of a professionally prepared race bike that he had been contracted to ride in the 1993 Australian championships. Ironically his dreams were about to be dashed.

The Model

Matt became a model in Sydney and was featured in many types of shoots.

Matt modelling swimwear for General Pants

The accident

Matt was left a paraplegic after a horrific road accident on the 19th March 1993. (The day after he took possession of the race bike)
His accident occurred after work at Rogues on his way home. His motorbike was hit head on by a drunk driver cresting a hill on the wrong side of the road with no headlights.
Matt spent six months in hospital and then flew to Vanuatu to continue his rehabilitation. He got involved in scuba diving and got back into sailing.

Today

11 years later Matt is involved with a number of organisation helping disabled people and is in demand as a public speaker. His main sporting focus is concentrated on consolidating all the years of sports involvement in an attempt to win a State championship in rally driving.

Matt currently lives in Hobart. Despite his disability he lives an energetic and active life which most able bodied people would have trouble keeping up with.

Matt in his faithful Triton ute out bushbashing in the southern forests.

Click here to contact Matt Speakman

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