View source for Matt Welsh

{{Short description|Australian swimmer (born 1976)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Matt Welsh
| image          = Matt Welsh and Patti Newton.jpg
| image_size     = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| spouse            = {{marriage|Lauren Newton|2006}}{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}
| caption        = Welsh at 2008 Mt Waverley Village Christmas carols with his mother-in-law [[Patti Newton]]
| fullname       = Matthew James Welsh
| nicknames      = 
| national_team  = {{AUS}}
| strokes        = [[Backstroke]], [[butterfly stroke|butterfly]]
| club           = {{Ubl | [[Melbourne Vicentre]] | [[Australian Institute of Sport]]}}
| coach          = 
| collegeteam    = 
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1976|11|18|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Melbourne]], Victoria
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry | Australia}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2000 Sydney | [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 2000 Sydney | [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre backstroke|200 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships|1998 Perth]] | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships|2001 Fukuoka]] | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalGold | 2001 Fukuoka | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships|2003 Barcelona]] | [[Swimming at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre butterfly|50 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships|2007 Melbourne]] | [[Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2003 Barcelona | [[Swimming at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre backstroke|50 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2003 Barcelona | [[Swimming at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships|2005 Montreal]] | [[Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre backstroke|50 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 2001 Fukuoka | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre backstroke|50 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|World Championships (SC)]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1999 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|1999 Hong Kong]] | 4×100 m medley}}
{{MedalGold | [[2002 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|2002 Moscow]] | 50 m backstroke}}
{{MedalGold | 2002 Moscow | 100 m backstroke}}
{{MedalGold | [[2006 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|2006 Shanghai]] | 50 m backstroke}}
{{MedalGold | 2006 Shanghai | 100 m backstroke}}
{{MedalGold | 2006 Shanghai | 50 m butterfly}}
{{MedalGold | 2006 Shanghai | 4×100 m medley}}
{{MedalSilver | 1999 Hong Kong | 100 m backstroke}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2004 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|2004 Indianapolis]] | 50 m backstroke}}
{{MedalSilver | 2004 Indianapolis | 100 m backstroke}}
{{MedalSilver | 2004 Indianapolis | 200 m backstroke}}
{{MedalSilver | 2004 Indianapolis | 4×100 m medley}}
{{MedalBronze | 1999 Hong Kong | 50 m backstroke}}
{{MedalBronze | 2006 Shanghai | 200 m backstroke}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|1999 Sydney]] | [[1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|2002 Yokohama]] | [[2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 200 metre backstroke|200 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2002 Yokohama | [[2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|2006 Victoria]] | [[2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | [[Swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Men's 50 metre backstroke|50 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalGold | 2002 Manchester | [[Swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalGold | 2002 Manchester | [[Swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]] | [[Swimming at the 2006 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2006 Melbourne | [[Swimming at the 2006 Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2006 Melbourne | [[Swimming at the 2006 Commonwealth Games – Men's 50 metre butterfly|50 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Goodwill Games|Goodwill Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 2001 Goodwill Games|2001 Brisbane]] | 100 m backstroke}}
{{MedalGold | 2001 Brisbane | 4×100 m medley}}
{{MedalSilver | 2001 Brisbane | 50 m backstroke}}
{{MedalSilver | 2001 Brisbane | 200 m backstroke}}
}}

'''Matthew James Welsh''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (born 18 November 1976) is an Australian [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]] who is the former world champion in the [[backstroke]] and [[butterfly stroke|butterfly]]. He took two golds in 50-meter butterfly and 50-meter 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.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/matt-welsh-to-quit-the-pool/2008/03/24/1206207015456.html |title=Matt Welsh to quit the pool |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=25 March 2008 |agency=[[Australian Associated Press]] (AAP) |url-access=limited}}</ref>

==Early years==
Welsh started swimming in his final years at [[Scotch College, Melbourne|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 Surrey Park Swimming Club until after the 2000 Olympics before moving to the [[Melbourne Vicentre]] Club.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}  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==
{|
|-
||
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| '''Event'''
| align="center" | '''Time'''
| align="center" | '''Place'''
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  1998 World Championships
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 55.45
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 6th
|-
|  4 × 100 m Medley|| align="center" | 3:37.98
| bgcolor="gold" align="center" | '''Gold''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2001 World Championships
|-
|  50m Backstroke|| align="center" | 25.49
| bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | '''Bronze'''
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 54.31
| bgcolor="gold" align="center" | '''Gold'''
|-
|  200m Backstroke|| align="center" | 1:58.80
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 4th
|-
|  4 × 100 m Medley|| align="center" | 3:35.35
| bgcolor="gold" align="center" | '''Gold'''
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2003 World Championships
|-
|  50m Butterfly|| align="center" | 23.43
| bgcolor="Gold" align="center" | '''Gold''' ||bgcolor="00CC33" align="center" | '''WR'''
|-
|  50m Backstroke|| align="center" | 25.01
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | '''Silver''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 53.92
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | '''Silver''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|  200m Backstroke|| align="center" | 1:57.94
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 5th
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2005 World Championships
|-
|  50m Backstroke|| align="center" | 24.99
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | '''Silver''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 54.89
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 9th
|-
|  200m Backstroke|| align="center" | 2:02.64
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 18th
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2007 World Championships
|-
|  50m Backstroke|| align="center" | 25.61
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 8th
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 54.65
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 7th
|-
|  4 × 100 m Medley|| align="center" | 3:34.93
| bgcolor="Gold" align="center" | '''Gold'''
|}
||
||
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| '''Event'''
| align="center" | '''Time'''
| align="center" | '''Place'''
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2000 Olympics
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 54.07
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | '''Silver''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|  200m Backstroke|| align="center" | 1:57.59
| bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | '''Bronze''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|  4 × 100 m Medley|| align="center" | 3:35.27
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | '''Silver''' ||bgcolor="#D50005" align="center" | '''AR'''
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
! colspan="4" |  2004 Olympics
|-
|  100m Backstroke|| align="center" | 54.52
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 5th
|-
|  200m Backstroke|| align="center" | 2:01.73
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 19th
|-
|  4 × 100 m Medley|| align="center" | 3:39.14
| bgcolor="white" align="center" | 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==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=December 2022}}
Welsh married Lauren Newton, the daughter of [[Bert Newton|Bert]] and [[Patti Newton]], and sister of [[Matthew Newton]], on 4 November 2006. They are parents to six children born between January 2008 and August 2020.

==Awards and honors==
*[[Australian Sports Medal]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Matt Welsh|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/976409|publisher=Australian Honours Database|access-date=30 December 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005753/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=976409&search_type=quick&showInd=true |archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref>
*[[Order of Australia|Medal of the Order of Australia]] (OAM) in 2013 for services swimming and charity work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Matt Welsh|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1148289|publisher=Australian Honours Database|access-date=10 June 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005503/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1148289 |archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=December 2022}}

==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==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Sports-reference}}
* [http://www.elitesports.com.au/mwelsh/index.html Elite Sports]
* {{IMDb name|id=1652423|name=Matt Welsh}}

{{Footer World LC Champions 100m Backstroke Men}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 50m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 4x100m Medley Men}}
{{Footer World SC Champions 50m Backstroke Men}}
{{Footer World SC Champions 100m Backstroke Men}}
{{Footer World SC Champions 50m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer World SC Champions 4x100m Medley Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 50m Backstroke Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 100m Backstroke Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 4x100m Medley Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Welsh, Matt}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian male backstroke swimmers]]
[[Category:Australian male butterfly swimmers]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers for Australia]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Australia]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from Victoria (state)]]