Matt Welsh

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For other uses, see Matt Welsh (disambiguation).
Medal record
Men's Swimming
Competitor for Flag of Australia Australia
Olympic Games
Silver Sydney 2000[1] 100 m backstroke
Silver Sydney 2000 4x100 m medley
Bronze Sydney 2000 200 m backstroke
World Championships
Gold 1998 Perth 4x100 m medley
Gold 2001 Fukuoka[2] 100 m backstroke
Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4x100 m medley
Gold 2003 Barcelona[3] 50 m butterfly
Gold 2007 Melbourne[4] 4x100 m medley
Silver 2003 Barcelona 50 m backstroke
Silver 2003 Barcelona 100 m backstroke
Silver 2005 Montreal[5] 50 m backstroke
Bronze 2001 Fukuoka 50 m backstroke
World Championships - Short Course
Gold 1999 Hong Kong 4x100 m medley
Gold 2002 Moscow 50 m backstroke
Gold 2002 Moscow 100 m backstroke
Gold 2006 Shanghai[6] 50 m backstroke
Gold 2006 Shanghai 100 m backstroke
Gold 2006 Shanghai 50 m butterfly
Gold 2006 Shanghai 4x100 m medley
Silver 1999 Hong Kong 100 m backstroke
Silver 2004 Indianapolis[7] 50 m backstroke
Silver 2004 Indianapolis 100 m backstroke
Silver 2004 Indianapolis 200 m backstroke
Silver 2004 Indianapolis 4x100 m medley
Bronze 1999 Hong Kong 50 m backstroke
Bronze 2006 Shanghai 200 m backstroke
Commonwealth Games
Silver 2006 Melbourne[8] 100 m backstroke
Silver 2006 Melbourne 50 m butterfly
Gold 2006 Melbourne 4 x 100 m medley relay
Gold 2002 Manchester[9] 50 m backstroke
Gold 2002 Manchester 100 m backstroke
Gold 2002 Manchester 4 x 100 m medley relay
Pan Pacific Championships
Silver 1999 Sydney 100 m backstroke
Silver 2002 Yokohama 200 m backstroke
Silver 2002 Yokohama 4x100 m medley
Bronze 2006 Victoria 4x100 m medley

Matthew ("Matt") Welsh (born November 18, 1976 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian swimmer who is the world champion in the backstroke and butterfly. Matt currently trains under coach Ian Pope at the Melbourne Vicentre Club. He took two golds in 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres backstroke, during one hour, at the World Championships in Shanghai 2006. Matt announced his retirement from professional swimming on March 24 when he failed to secure a place at the Beijing olympics, however Matt will still swim in the 50m backstroke at the Olympic trials however this is not an olympic event.[10]

Contents

[edit] 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. His first big break came in 1998 at the world swimming championships in Perth, Australia with a gold in the 4 x 100m medley relay.

[edit] Olympic competition

At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Welsh broke onto the international scene winning three Olympic medals.

Silver medal:

100 metre backstroke

4 x 100 m medley relay

Bronze medal:

200 metre backstroke

Welsh placed 5th in the 100 backstroke at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Although still swimming great times, Welsh was unable to beat the younger generation at the trials and won't be able to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

[edit] Swimming history

Welsh has won several world championship titles in both backstroke and butterfly. He has held the Australian record in the 100 metre backstroke since 1998. He has 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.

[edit] Personal life

He married Bert Newton's daughter, Lauren Newton on November 4, 2006 at St Dominic's Catholic Church in Melbourne. They were engaged in December 2005. As of January 19, 2008, they are proud first-time parents of a baby boy named Sam Albert.[11]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ ESPN Sydney Swimming. Retrieved on 2007-07-22.
  2. ^ 2001 World Championships - Short Course Swim Rankings results. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  3. ^ 2003 World Championships - Short Course Swim Rankings results. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  4. ^ 12th FINA World Championships. Retrieved on 2007-06-09.
  5. ^ Montreal 2005 Results. Retrieved on 2007-06-09.
  6. ^ Shanghai 2006 results. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  7. ^ 7th FINA World Championships - 25m Indianapolis 2004. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  8. ^ Swimming Schedule and Results. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
  9. ^ BBC Sport Commonwealth Games 2002 Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
  10. ^ SMH.COM.AU "Matt Welsh to quit the pool", "http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/matt-welsh-to-quit-the-pool/2008/03/24/1206207015456.html"
  11. ^ Lauren Newton engaged. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.