Video by Tony Walters
Sailing together in the 470 class for the past four years, Matt Belcher and Will Ryan have worked together to become one of Australia's most successful sporting partnerships.
Beginning as training buddies nine years ago, their professional relationship kicked off after the 2012 London Olympics and they spent the next four years training -- spending weeks, and sometimes months away from their families -- working towards the goal of competing for a week of races at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"The journey of an Olympic athlete is about sacrifice," Ryan, 28, said.
Though the pair narrowly missed out on the gold medal at the Rio Olympics, as a team, Ryan and Belcher, 33, have dominated their category -- both domestically and internationally -- winning more than a dozen Gold medals together at competitions such as the 470 World Championships and ISAF World Championships. Their journey continues.
At Johnnie Walker, we love sharing stories of personal progress, innovation and spirit. And why wouldn't we? Our own story is one of a pioneering spirit passed on from generation to generation. It's this belief in the philosophy of perseverance and progress that allows us to continuously share inspiring stories to all.
In this series, we are shining a light on people who approach life with this same philosophy – one of a humane, resilient and optimistic mindset, especially in the face of adversity that enables them to Keep Walking.
