Matthias Ungemach

{{short description|German rower}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}

{{MedalTableTop}}

{{MedalSport | Men's rowing}}

{{MedalCompetition | World Rowing Championships }}

{{MedalCountry | {{FRG}} }}

{{MedalGold | 1990 Tasmania | M8+ }}

{{MedalCountry | {{GER}} }}

{{MedalGold | 1991 Vienna | M4+ }}

{{MedalBottom}}

Matthias Ungemach (born 21 May 1968 in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German rower (6'6"; 100 kg), double World Champion and Olympian.

Ungemach, Armin Weyrauch, Armin Eichholz, Bahne Rabe and Jorg Dederding won the 1991 World Championship in the coxed four in world record time (5:58,96),{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrowing.com/index.php?pageid=87 |title=The Official World Rowing Web Site - Results/Best Times |access-date=2009-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711101202/http://www.worldrowing.com/index.php?pageid=87 |archive-date=11 July 2009 |df=dmy-all }} which is still unbeaten. He won another world title with the German eight in 1990 in Tasmania (Australia). Ungemach rowed in the final of the coxless four in 1992 Barcelona Spain and came fourth in a heartbeat final. Other highlights were the win of at Henley Royal Regatta, Good Will Games Seattle, Head of the Charles Boston, and 12 German Championships in all boat classes.{{cite web|title=Matthias Ungemach Biography and Olympic Results|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/un/matthias-ungemach-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417223309/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/un/matthias-ungemach-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Sports-reference.com|access-date=16 May 2010}}

With his pair partner Colin von Ettingshausen he represented Germany on various world titles and in the Atlanta Olympics 1996 in the coxless pair. Matthias Ungemach retired from professional rowing afterwards.

Ungemach lives with his family in Curl Curl, New South Wales on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia and is married to Judith Ungemach ({{nee}} Judith Zeidler) who won Olympic gold in the women's eight in Seoul (1988) and bronze in Barcelona (1992).{{cite web|title=Olympic Medals won by Judith Zeidler|url=http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2008/results/historical/athletes/22939.htm|work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=16 May 2010}} As of 2024, he was coach of a U23 Men's Four team for Australia Rowing.{{cite web |title=2024 U23 Australian Rowing Team |url=https://44155094.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/44155094/U23%20Full%20Team_Athletes%20and%20Coaches.pdf |access-date=15 March 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Guerin |first1=Andrew |title=2024 World Under 23 Championships, St Catherines |url=https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/world-u23-championships/2024-st-catharines#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=15 March 2025 |work=www.rowinghistory-aus.info |date=2024}}

In the hours before dawn on 22 February 2020, Ungemach was driving his SUV and towing a 10-meter trailer with rowing shells, on his way to a regatta in Penrith. As he was in the process of negotiating a traffic calming feature in heavy rain, a 66-year-old pedestrian attempted to cross the roadway behind the SUV, likely not seeing the towed trailer. The pedestrian was killed in the collision with the trailer.{{cite news |last1=Costin |first1=Luke |title=Olympian relieved hit-run charges dropped |url=https://7news.com.au/news/crime/olympian-relieved-hit-run-charges-dropped-c-2120597 |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=7NEWS |publisher=Seven Network |date=8 February 2021 |language=en}} Months later, Ungemach was arrested and charged related to the alleged hit-and-run incident, but charges were dropped after an expert report found that the pedestrian had initiated the collision, and that Ungemach likely wouldn't have noticed the impact on the towed trailer.{{cite news |title=Olympian charged over fatal alleged hit-and-run at Freshwater |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/olympian-charged-over-fatal-alleged-hit-and-run-at-freshwater-20200709-p55anv.html |access-date=9 July 2020 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 July 2020 |language=en}}