Matt Welsh

Matthew James Welsh, OAM (born 18 November 1976) is an Australian swimmer who is the former world champion in the backstroke and butterfly. He took two golds in 50-metre butterfly and 50-metre backstroke, during one hour, at the World Championships in Shanghai 2006. Welsh retired from professional swimming in March 2008 when he failed to secure a place in the team for the Beijing Olympics.[1]

Matt Welsh

Welsh at 2008 Mt Waverley Village Christmas carols with Patti Newton
Personal information
Full name	Matthew James Welsh
National team	Australia
Born	(1976-11-18) 18 November 1976 Melbourne, Victoria
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, butterfly
Club	Melbourne Vicentre Australian Institute of Sport
Medal record Men's swimming Representing Australia Olympic Games 2000 Sydney 100 m backstroke 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley 2000 Sydney 200 m backstroke World Championships (LC) 1998 Perth 4×100 m medley 2001 Fukuoka 100 m backstroke 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley 2003 Barcelona 50 m butterfly 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley 2003 Barcelona 50 m backstroke 2003 Barcelona 100 m backstroke 2005 Montreal 50 m backstroke 2001 Fukuoka 50 m backstroke World Championships (SC) 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m medley 2002 Moscow 50 m backstroke 2002 Moscow 100 m backstroke 2006 Shanghai 50 m backstroke 2006 Shanghai 100 m backstroke 2006 Shanghai 50 m butterfly 2006 Shanghai 4×100 m medley 1999 Hong Kong 100 m backstroke 2004 Indianapolis 50 m backstroke 2004 Indianapolis 100 m backstroke 2004 Indianapolis 200 m backstroke 2004 Indianapolis 4×100 m medley 1999 Hong Kong 50 m backstroke 2006 Shanghai 200 m backstroke Pan Pacific Championships 1999 Sydney 100 m backstroke 2002 Yokohama 200 m backstroke 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley 2006 Victoria 4×100 m medley Commonwealth Games 2002 Manchester 50 m backstroke 2002 Manchester 100 m backstroke 2002 Manchester 4×100 m medley 2006 Melbourne 4×100 m medley 2006 Melbourne 100 m backstroke 2006 Melbourne 50 m butterfly Goodwill Games 2001 Brisbane 100 m backstroke 2001 Brisbane 4×100 m medley 2001 Brisbane 50 m backstroke 2001 Brisbane 200 m backstroke

Early years

Welsh started swimming in his final years at Scotch College, Melbourne and moved into competitive swimming in 1995 after leaving school at the age of eighteen. He trained under coach Ian Pope at the Melbourne Vicentre Club. His first big break came in 1998 at the world swimming championships in Perth, Western Australia with a gold in the 4x100-metre medley relay.

World and Olympic accomplishments

Event Time Place 1998 World Championships 100m Backstroke 55.45 6th 4 × 100 m Medley 3:37.98 Gold AR 2001 World Championships 50m Backstroke 25.49 Bronze 100m Backstroke 54.31 Gold 200m Backstroke 1:58.80 4th 4 × 100 m Medley 3:35.35 Gold 2003 World Championships 50m Butterfly 23.43 Gold WR 50m Backstroke 25.01 Silver AR 100m Backstroke 53.92 Silver AR 200m Backstroke 1:57.94 5th 2005 World Championships 50m Backstroke 24.99 Silver AR 100m Backstroke 54.89 9th 200m Backstroke 2:02.64 18th 2007 World Championships 50m Backstroke 25.61 8th 100m Backstroke 54.65 7th 4 × 100 m Medley 3:34.93 Gold

Event Time Place 2000 Olympics 100m Backstroke 54.07 Silver AR 200m Backstroke 1:57.59 Bronze AR 4 × 100 m Medley 3:35.27 Silver AR 2004 Olympics 100m Backstroke 54.52 5th 200m Backstroke 2:01.73 19th 4 × 100 m Medley 3:39.14 9th

At 31 and after 11 years on the Australian Swim Team, Welsh was unable to beat the younger generation at the trials and was not selected to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Swimming history

Welsh has won several world championship titles in both backstroke and butterfly. He first broke the Australian record in the 100 metre backstroke in 1998. He also won more Australian swimming titles than any swimmer in history, claiming his 50th win at the 2006 Australian titles in Brisbane in December 2006.

Personal life

Welsh married Lauren Newton, the daughter of Bert and Patti Newton, on 4 November 2006. They are parents to five children born between January 2008 and December 2018.

Awards and honours

• Australian Sports Medal in 2000.[2]
• Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2013 for services swimming and charity work.[3]

See also

• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 50 metres backstroke
• World record progression 50 metres butterfly
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke

References

1. SMH.COM.AU, "Matt Welsh to quit the pool"
2. "Matt Welsh". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
3. "Matt Welsh". Australian Honours Database. Retrieved 10 June 2013.

External links

• Matt Welsh at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Elite Sports
• Matt Welsh on IMDb