Matt Welsh

For other people named Matt Welsh, see Matt Welsh (disambiguation).

Matt Welsh

At the 2008 Mt Waverley Village Christmas Carols with Patti Newton
Personal information
Full name	Matthew James Welsh
Nickname(s)	"Matt"
Nationality	Australia
Born	18 November 1976 (1976-11-18) Melbourne, Victoria
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Backstroke and butterfly
Club	Australian Institute of Sport
Medal record Men's swimming Competitor for Australia Olympic Games Silver 2000 Sydney 100 m backstroke Silver 2000 Sydney 4x100 m medley Bronze 2000 Sydney 200 m backstroke World Championships (LC) Gold 1998 Perth 4x100 m medley Gold 2001 Fukuoka 100 m backstroke Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4x100 m medley Gold 2003 Barcelona 50 m butterfly Gold 2007 Melbourne 4x100 m medley Silver 2003 Barcelona 50 m backstroke Silver 2003 Barcelona 100 m backstroke Silver 2005 Montreal 50 m backstroke Bronze 2001 Fukuoka 50 m backstroke Goodwill Games Silver 2001 Brisbane 50m Backstroke Gold 2001 Brisbane 100m Backstroke Silver 2001 Brisbane 200m Backstroke Gold 2001 Brisbane 4×100 m Medley World Championships (SC) Gold 1999 Hong Kong 4x100 m medley Gold 2002 Moscow 50 m backstroke Gold 2002 Moscow 100 m backstroke Gold 2006 Shanghai 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 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 100 m backstroke Silver 2006 Melbourne 50 m butterfly Gold 2006 Melbourne 4 x 100 m medley relay Gold 2002 Manchester 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" James Welsh (born 18 November 1976 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian swimmer who is the former world champion in the backstroke and butterfly. Welsh trained under coach Ian Pope at the Melbourne Vicentre Club.^{[citation needed]} He took two golds in 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres backstroke, during one hour, at the World Championships in Shanghai 2006. Welsh announced his retirement from professional swimming on 24 March 2008 when he failed to secure a place at the Beijing Olympics.

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, Western Australia with a gold in the 4 x 100m medley relay.

World and Olympic accomplishments

Event Time Place 1998 World Championships 100m Backstroke 55.45 6th 4x100m 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 4x100m 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 4x100m Medley 3:34.93 Gold

Event Time Place 2000 Olympics 100m Backstroke 54.07 Silver AR 200m Backstroke 1:57.59 Bronze AR 4x100m Medley 3:35.27 Silver AR 2004 Olympics 100m Backstroke 54.52 5th 200m Backstroke 2:01.73 19th 4x100m Medley 3:39.14 9th

Welsh was unable to beat the younger generation at the trials and did not 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 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.

Personal life

Welsh married Australian television personality Lauren Newton on 4 November 2006 at St Dominic's Catholic Church in Melbourne. They announced their engagement on 15 December 2005. They are parents to Sam Albert, born January 2008 and Eva Eunice, born May 2009.

On 22 June 2000, Welsh was award the Australian Sports Medal.

References

• sports-reference

External links

• Matt Welsh at fina.org
• Elite Sports
• Matt Welsh at the Internet Movie Database

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