Michael Beckett

Michael "Micky" Beckett (born 27 March 1995) is a British sailor who won a gold medal at the 2021 ILCA European Championships and silver at the 2023 Sailing World Championships. He has been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Career
Beckett began competing aged 10 after learning to sail on his father's handmade boat.

He won his first major medal when he claimed silver at the 2018 Laser European Championships in La Rochelle, France.

Beckett was part of a historic one-two-three for Great Britain at the 2020 ILCA European Championships in Gdansk, Poland, as he took silver with teammates Elliot Hanson and Lorenzo Chiavarini winning gold and bronze respectively. It was the first time that Britain had taken all three podium places at a major Laser class championship.

He finally won continental gold at the 2021 ILCA European Championships in Varna, Bulgaria, taking the title with a race to spare after leading throughout the competition.

Beckett took a third European Championship silver medal at the 2022 championships in Hyeres, France.

He won silver at the 2023 Sailing World Championships in The Hague, Netherlands, and in doing so he clinched an ILCA 7 qualification spot for Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

In October 2023 Beckett was named among the first 10 members of the British Sailing Team for the Paris Games.

Despite being given a penalty in the qualifying section, Beckett took a bronze medal at the ILCA 7 World Championship in Adelaide, Australia, in January 2024.

He then won the prestigious Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta in Palma, Mallorca, Spain, for the third successive year at the 53rd edition in April 2024.

Personal life
Beckett has a Ship Science degree from the University of Southampton. He worked as a television producer for the sailing events at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.