Terence Mike Parkin (born 12 April 1980 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) is a swimmer from South Africa, who won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the 200m Breaststroke. Parkin, who was born deaf, also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2000 Sydney Olympics Games as well as the Deaflympics in which he took home 29 gold medals.
Nicknamed the "Silent Torpedo" and the Michael Phelps of the Deaflympics, Parkin was the only deaf swimmer to be part of the FINA's elite rankings in 1999 and 2000. He holds the record for winning the greatest number of medals in Deaflympics history with a total of 33.
Early life Parkins, who was born deaf but was not diagnosed until he was 18-months old, was the first-born child to his parents, who both lived fully hearing. According to the two, Neville and Bev - who provided the primary source of support throughout his personal and athletic life - Parkin reflected an affinity for swimming as early as age twelve. Parkin grew up with a sister who was also born without any auditory impairments. Terence has reported that his family is not fluent in any particular sign language and instead communicates through a mixture of home-made signs and oral gestures.
Education Parkin was introduced to swimming during his attendance at the Fulton School for the Deaf in KwaZulu-Natal, which teaches South African Sign Language as its primary language and English as secondary. Aiming away from practices of Oralism that have shaped many aspects of both the school's history and deaf history across greater South Africa, it is at this school that students such as Parkin have been exposed to a bilingual approach of communication that incorporates elements of both South African Sign Language and English.
In his time at Fulton School for the Deaf, reporters suggest that Parkin held an increased level of dominance over other swimmers due to the fact that he relied on his elevated visual and spatial awareness during water movement.
Personal life Parkin resides with his wife and two children in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he serves a sports coach at St. Vincent School for the Deaf. He is widely regarded as an inspiration to many young people, often sharing motivational messages such as The worst disability is a bad attitude!'"In 2011, Parkin saved a young boy from drowning.http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/Olympic-swimmer-saves-boy-20110121. Reports say the seven-year-old was submerged underwater for close to three minutes until Parkin, his swim coach, got him out of the water.
Parkin now stays active by participating in cycling, running, and swimming marathons for charitable purposes.
Athletic career The largest boost in Parkin's 15-year sporting career was set forth when he qualified for the South African national swimming team. From there, Parkin would make his first major mark in swimming history at the Midmar Mile, which is held in South Africa and is the "world's largest open-water swimming event". At age 17, he competed in his first Deaflympic games, taking seven medals in total (five gold, two silver). Three years later, Parkin competed as the only deaf swimmer in his first Olympic games. Unable to hear the crowd's standing ovation or the commentator's announcements of the final results, Parkin noticed moments after the 200-meter breaststroke that he had scored an Olympic silver medal.
Parkin, eventually claiming title as the most decorated sportsman in Deaflympics history, has been described as inspiring fellow athletes such as Roland Schoeman, who follow in the footsteps of Parkin's notoriety for an intense dedication to rigorous training regimens.
Beyond his Olympic and Deaflympic records, Parkin was also crowned World Deaf Sportsman of the Year in 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2005. Additional awards include CISS Sportsman of the Century in 2000, SA Schools' Sportsman of the Year in 2002, and Gold Presidential Awards across 2000, 2001, and 2002.
Parkin has also been known for his feats across championships of cycling and triathlons, winning first place in the 2005 World Deaf Cycling Championships’ 120km road race in California. Locally, Parkin has also been known to compete in miscellaneous sporting events such as the Dusi Canoe Marathon and the 94.7 Cycle Challenge.
Throughout his competitions in the Olympics, Deaflympics, World Cup and Pan Pacific Competitions, Parkin was driven by a desire to show the world that deaf athletes are just as capable as their hearing counterparts. Parkin aimed to be a powerful example of the opportunities available to the Deaf community.
Hearing aid During a race, Parkin was reported to attempt to utilize a waterproof hearing aid while in the water. Afterward, he claimed that the crowd noise was highly distracting and that an absence of noise allowed him to focus on solely the race itself.
Additional athletic achievements Beyond his career in swimming, Parkin has also been known to compete in triathlons and cycling events, even winning the 120km gold medal at the World Cycling Championship for the Deaf.
2000 Sydney Olympic Games Parkin competed in his first Olympic games in 2000 at the age of 20 and used sign language to communicate with his coach. About his trip to the Olympics, Parkin said "I am going to the Olympics to represent South Africa, but it's so vitally important for me to go, to show that the deaf can do anything. They can't hear, they can see everything. I would like to show the world that there's opportunities for the deaf.""Parkin out to win, prove deaf can compete." CNN Sports Illustrated Online. 2000. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
Philanthropy Recently, Parkin has been honored by The Princess Charlene Foundation by being granted the position of Global Ambassador of The Deaf and Blind. Her Serene Highness, Princess Charlene, an accomplished philanthropist in her own right, chose Parkin because of his will to overcome any obstacle in his way. Using the resources granted to him in his position, Parkin has traveled the world and given talks about swimming safety. These talks include teaching children how to swim and how to avoid drowning. Some countries he has been to on behalf of the foundation are Russia, Pakistan, China, Australia and the Philippines.
Aside from his talks to children, Parkin has also taught classes on CPR, making him the only deaf CPR coach in South Africa. Parkin has also entered "1120 km Epic Challenge", a test of physical endurance, to fund raise for the Princess Charlene Foundation. Additional fundraisers Parkin has participated in include biking from Johannesburg to Midmar, running from Midmar Dam to the start of the Dusi Canoe Marathon, as well as the Dusi Canoe Marathon itself. His philanthropic endeavors have raised approximately R54 820,00 which equals to roughly $300,000. Doners to The Princess Charlene Foundation can be quoted, praising Parkin for his unshakable resolve as he raised money by participating in physically grueling challenges for the sake of the deaf community that he represents.
As of August 2024, Terrence Parkin was inducted into the Princess Charlene Foundation's Hall of fame due to his various philanthropic endeavors. Parkin also donated one of his Olympic silver medals to the hall of fame.
Records and statistics
Holds the Deaf World Record 50m Swimming Pool 200m breaststroke (2:12.50) 200m Individual Medley (2:03.33) 400m Individual Medley (4:16.92)25m Swimming Pool 400m Freestyle (3:55.68) 800m Freestyle (8:07.36) 100m Backstroke (58.31) 200m Backstroke (2:02.83) 200m Breaststroke (2:08.91) 200m Medley (1:58.64) 400m Medley (4:10.39)Other significant stats (not new world records) 100m Freestyle (50.77) 21 Nov 2009 1500m Freestyle (15:22.28) 17 Oct 2009 200m Backstroke (2:00.60) 6 Dec 2003 200m Breaststroke (2:07.91) 19 Mar 2000 50m Butterfly (25.14) 21 Nov 2009 200m Medley (1:57.87) 2 Feb 2000
Holds the Deaflympice Record 50m Swimming Pool''''' 100m breaststroke (1:03.51) 2009 200m breaststroke (2:16.32) 2009
Terence Parkin Best Time for Short Course (25 m) https://www.fina.org/athletes/1013888/terence-parkin
Olympics & Deaflympics results 2000 Olympics16 Sep 2000HMen's 4×100 metre freestyle relay3:21.2811thAR16 Sep 2000HMen's 100 metre breaststroke1:03.1128thDWR17 Sept 2000HMen's 400 metre individual medley4:18.148thDWR AR17 Sep 2000FMen's 400 metre individual medley4:16.925thDWR AR19 Sep 2000HMen's 200 metre breaststroke2:15.0610thDWR19 Sep 2000SFMen's 200 metre breaststroke2:13.576thDWR20 Sep 2000HMen's 200 metre individual medley2:03.3316thDWR20 Sep 2000FMen's 200 metre breaststroke2:12.50List of deaf world records in swimmingDWRAR(DWR – Deaf World Record) (AF- African Records) (Finals – F) (Heat – H) (Semifinal – SF)2004 Olympics14 Aug 2004HMen's 100 metre breaststroke1:03.0524thDWR17 Aug 2004HMen's 200 metre breaststroke2:14.1212th17 Aug 2004SFMen's 200 metre breaststroke2:13.587th20 Aug 2004HMen's 4×100 metre medley relay3:43.9413th(DWR – Deaf World Record) (Finals – F) (Heat – H) (Semifinal – SF)1997 Deaflympics15 Jul 1997Men's 200 metre Freestyle1:56.06GRDWR15 Jul 1997Men's 100 metre Breaststroke1:05.51GRDWR16 Jul 1997Men's 400 metre Individual Medley4:35.86GRDWR17 Jul 1997Men's 200 metre Backstroke2:13.9318 Jul 1997Men's 100 metre Freestyle54.004th18 Jul 1997Men's 200 metre Breaststroke2:21.55GRDWR19 Jul 1997Men's 100 metre Backstroke1:01.9619 Jul 1997Men's 50 metre Freestyle24.934th20 Jul 1997Men's 200 metre Individual Medley2:09.61GRDWR(DWR – Deaf World Record) (GR – Deaflympics Record)2001 Deaflympics25 Jul 2001Men's 200 metre Freestyle1:54.21GRDWR25 Jul 2001Men's 100 metre Breaststroke1:05.13GR26 Jul 2001Men's 400 metre Individual Medley4:29.99GR26 Jul 2001Men's 4×100 metre Freestyle Relay3:51.884th28 Jul 2001Men's 100 metre Freestyle52.91GR28 Jul 2001Men's 200 metre Breaststroke2:20.65GR(DWR – Deaf World Record) (GR – Deaflympics Record)2005 Deaflympics8 Jan 2005Men's 50 metre Breaststroke29.36GRDWR8 Jan 2005Men's 400 metre Freestyle4:07.46GR9 Jan 2005Men's 4×200 metre Freestyle Relay8:03.03GRDWR9 Jan 2005Men's 200 metre Individual Medley2:11.4610 Jan 2005Men's 200 metre Breaststroke2:27.3710 Jan 2005Men's 100 metre Freestyle52.47GR12 Jan 2005Men's 200 metre Freestyle1:53.70GRDWR12 Jan 2005Men's 4×100 metre Medley Relay4:04.85GRDWR12 Jan 2005Men's 400 metre Individual Medley4:40.6213 Jan 2005Men's 200 metre Butterfly2:05.23GRDWR14 Jan 2005Men's 1500 metre Freestyle16:20.60GRDWR14 Jan 2005Men's 100 metre Breaststroke1:04.87GR14 Jan 2005Men's 4×100 metre Freestyle Relay3:40.95(DWR – Deaf World Record) (GR – Deaflympics Record)2009 Deaflympics7 Sep 2009Men's 50 metre Breaststroke29.588 Sep 2009Men's 200 metre Breaststroke2:16.32GR9 Sep 2009Men's 400 metre Individual Medley4:29.56GR10 Sep 2009Cycling Road individual Race 100km2h17m41s11 Sep 2009Men's 100 metre Breaststroke1:03.51GR11 Sep 2009Men's 200 metre Freestyle1:53.12GRDWR12 Sep 2009Men's 200 metre Individual Medley2:06.24GR13 Sep 2009Men's 1500 metre Freestyle16:08.56GRDWR(DWR – Deaf World Record) (GR – Deaflympics Record)2013 Deaflympics (Cycling)27 Jul 20131000m Sprint13.9433rd29 Jul 201338 km Individual Time Trial57m06s9th1 Aug 201322 km Cross-country1h47m00s14th31 Jul 201396 km Road Race 2h32m35s19th +MeetMedals1997 Summer Deaflympics 1999 Pan Pacific Championships1999 All-Africa Games 2000 FINA Short Course World Championships 2000 FINA Swimming World Cup 2000 Summer Olympics2001 Summer Deaflympics 2001 Goodwill Games2001 FINA Swimming World Cup 2002 Commonwealth Games2002 FINA Swimming World Cup 2003 FINA Swimming World Cup 2003 FINA Swimming World Cup 2005 Summer Deaflympics 2005 FINA Swimming World CupWorld Deaf Cycling Championships 2008 Tour de Formosa Cycling Road 2009 Summer Deaflympics 2009 FINA Swimming World Cup
See also Deaf people in the Olympics List of Commonwealth Games medalists in swimming (men) List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
References