Matthew Abeysinghe

Matthew Abeysinghe

Abeysinghe at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia
Personal information
Full name	Matthew Duncan Abeysinghe
Nickname(s)	Matt, Goldenboy
National team	Sri Lanka
Born	(1996-03-19) 19 March 1996 (age 25) Hazleton, Pennsylvania, USA
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, Butterfly, Individual Medley
Club	Killer Whale Aquatics - Sri Lanka
College team	Ohio State University
Coach	Manoj Abeysinghe
hide Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Sri Lanka 7th Asian Age Group Championships 2011 Asian Youth Games 2013 2013 Nanjing 100 m freestyle 2016 South Asian Games 2016 Guwahati 50 m freestyle 2016 Guwahati 4×100 m freestyle 2016 Guwahati 100 m freestyle 2016 Guwahati 200 m freestyle 2016 Guwahati 100 m butterfly 2016 Guwahati 400 m medley 2016 Guwahati 200 m medley 2016 Guwahati 4×200 m freestyle 2016 Guwahati 4×100 m medley 2016 Guwahati 50 m backstroke 2019 South Asian Games 2019 Kathmandu 50 m freestyle 2019 Kathmandu 4×100 m freestyle 2019 Kathmandu 200 m freestyle 2019 Kathmandu 100 m butterfly 2019 Kathmandu 50 m Butterfly 2019 Kathmandu 100 m freestyle 2019 Kathmandu 200 m Medley 2019 Kathmandu 4×200 m freestyle

Matthew Abeysinghe (born 19 March 1996) is a Sri Lankan swimmer who has represented his country at numerous international competitions. Abeysinghe trained under his coach and father, Manoj Abeysinghe, with Killer Whale Aquatics, until his departure for higher education, where he resumed his training at Ohio State University in the US. Abeysinghe is regarded as the greatest swimmer and one of the most accomplished athletes Sri Lanka has ever produced.

Career[]

Abeysinghe started swimming when he was three years old alongside his elder brother, Andrew. He has been quoted, saying he started swimming merely for water safety, not to compete. Over the course of his career, Abeysinghe has achieved numerous accolades, including; international medals, national records, national championships, and several national awards. Abeysinghe is considered the greatest athlete in South Asian Games history. He is also the most decorated; winning a total of 14 gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. In Freestyle, his most proficient stroke, Abeysinghe holds all of the national records except for the 200m Freestyle, which belongs to his younger brother, Kyle. He also holds the South Asian record in the 100m and 200m Freestyle events.

Abeysinghe with all of his South Asian Games medals

Abeysinghe's first time representing Sri Lanka was at 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. There he broke the national record in the 400m Freestyle, previously held by Julian Bolling and became the youngest male swimmer to be selected to the national team. Later on that year, he competed at the 2010 FINA World Swimming Championships in Dubai. In 2011, Abeysinghe represented Sri Lanka three times; at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, the 2011 Youth Commonwealth Games, in the Isle of Man, making it to the finals of the 400m Freestyle, and Asian Age Group Swimming Championships, where he won the silver medal in 100m Freestyle. In 2012 Abeysinghe competed at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. The next year, Abeysinghe competed at the 2013 Asian Youth Games, where he won the bronze medal in the 100m Freestyle, becoming the first Sri Lankan to win a medal at an Asian Games event.

Abeysinghe at the 2013 Youth Asian Games

In 2014, at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, Abeysinghe competed in the 100m Freestyle. After setting a national record in prelims, he advanced to the semi-final, where he raced amongst the likes of future Olympians; Duncan Scott and Kyle Chalmers.

Abeysinghe competing at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games

Later on, he represented Sri Lanka at the 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar. He also competed in the 2014 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Seoul, Korea. In 2015, Abeysinghe competed at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia. Early on in 2016, Abeysinghe was struggling to reach the Olympic qualifying time in the 100m freestyle. Finally, in Hong Kong, Abeysinghe was able to achieve the "B" qualifying time, becoming the first and only Sri Lankan swimmer, and one of few athletes, to achieve this feat up to that point (his younger brother, Kyle, managed to surpass this mark later on). Abeysinghe competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, alongside fellow swimming star, Kimiko Raheem. He competed in the 100m Freestyle, with a time of 50.96, slower than he had previously swum in Hong Kong. He placed third in his heat.

Abeysinghe competing in the 2016 Olympic Games

In early 2017, Abeysinghe moved to the US to attend Ohio State University. There he resumed training, after a prolonged leg injury in late 2016.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Abeysinghe was a part of the 4×100 Freestyle relay for Sri Lanka. Alongside him was his younger brother Kyle, Akalanka Pieris and Cherantha De Silva. Together, they became the first Sri Lankan team to make finals at the Commonwealth Games. Unfortunately, due to an early start by De Silva, they were disqualified. At the Games, he also competed in the 50m and 100m Freestyle, qualifying for the semi-final in the latter. There he competed against the likes of Cameron McEvoy, Chad Le Clos, and Benjamin Proud. He also became the first Sri Lankan to break the "50-second" barrier.

Abeysinghe at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Later on that year, he competed at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Again, he was apart of the 4×100m Freestyle relay team alongside his brother Kyle, Akalanka Pieris and Cherantha De Silva. He also competed in the 50m and 100m Freestyle events, qualifying for the Semifinal in both. A serious medal contender in the 100m Freestyle, Abeysinghe was unable to stand atop the podium, placing 5th.

2016 South Asian Games[]

With seven gold medals, two silver and one bronze (10 medals at 11 events) in 2016 South Asian Games, Abeysinghe broke the record for most gold medals in South Asian Games by a Sri Lankan, previously set by Julian Bolling back in 1991 South Asian Games.^[1][2][3]

2016 Summer Olympics[]

Abeysinghe is the first swimmer ever to qualify under the Olympic Standard(B) to represent Sri Lanka in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games from 5 to 22 August.^[4]

2018 Commonwealth Games[]

In February 2018, Abeysinghe was named to Sri Lanka's 2018 Commonwealth Games team. In the 50 and 100 meter Freestyle events he reached the semi-final recording a top 20 time in the world for the 100m freestyle. He was placed 10th and 14th, respectively. Along with his teammates he reached the finals in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, placing 8th in prelims and recording a time of 3:22.84, shattering the National and SAF record.^[5][6]

2019 South Asian Games[]

Matthew continued his glory at the South Asian platform winning 7 gold and silver in the 2019 South Asian Games held in Kathmandu Nepal.^[7]

Personal life[]

Matthew Abeysinghe is from Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was born in the USA and trained swimming there. With no hope of qualifying for the USA team and in the hope of attending the Olympic games he relocated to Sri Lanka.^[8] He joined the Swim America program and Killer Whale Aquatics when it was launched in 2012.^[9] He then joined Asian International School Colombo, subsequently moving to the US for higher education and training at The Ohio State University. In Sri Lanka he was coached by his father Manoj Abeysinghe, at the Killer Whale Aquatic Club in Sri Lanka.^[10] His family is well known for their swimming prowess in the sporting community of Sri Lanka. He has three brothers, one elder and two younger, all of whom are swimmers. His elder brother, Andrew Abeysinghe, is a former national champion, national record holder, and multiple South Asian Games gold medalist. Dillon Abeysinghe, his younger brother, is a former national champion, national record holder, and South Asian Aquatic Championship medalist. His youngest brother, Kyle Abeysinghe, is a two-time silver medalist at the Youth Commonwealth Games, one of few Sri Lankan athletes, and only swimmer, to ever achieve such a feat. At the South Asian Games level he is a gold medalist and South Asian Games record holder. At the domestic level he is also a national record holder and national champion. Their father, Manoj Abeysinghe, is his coach. Mathew trained out of the CR&FC's swimming pool in Colombo, Sri Lanka until his team Killer Whale Aquatics relocated following an incident of pool negligence which caused five children to fall sick with serious breathing difficulties. Manoj Abeysinghe as the pool manager, using legal arguments, avoided being charged for the criminal negligence in the management of the pool and instead a pool attendant Weerahandi Gunadasa was convicted.^[11]

National and international awards[]

• Winner Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year for sports in 2016.^[12]
• Winner Most Outstanding Sportsman of the Year 2016 – Presidential Sports Award^[13]

Achievements[]

SAF records[]

Event	Time		Name	Club	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50m Freestyle	23.33	SAG	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	7 February 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[14]
100m Freestyle	51.23	SAG	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	8 February 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[15]
200m Freestyle	1:52.28	SAG	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	6 February 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[16]
100m Butterfly	55.42	SAG	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	6 February 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[14]
200m Individual Medley	2:09.63	SAG	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	9 February 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[14]

Sri Lanka Long Course national records[]

Event	Time		Name	Club	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50m Freestyle	22.65	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	7 April 2018	2018 Commonwealth Games	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia	[14]
100m Freestyle	49.11	NAT, OLY A	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	7 April 2018	Commonwealth Games 2018	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia	[15]
200m Freestyle	1:52.14	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	3 July 2016	Hong Kong National Age Group Swimming Championships	Hong Kong, China	[15]
400m Freestyle	4:03.90	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Killer Whale Aquatics	25 September 2014	National Aquatic Championships	Colombo, Sri Lanka	[15]
1500m Freestyle	16:23.61	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Killer Whale Aquatics	14 July 2012	National Age Group Swimming Championships	Colombo, Sri Lanka	[14]
100m Butterfly	54.33	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	3 July 2016	Hong Kong National Age Group Swimming Championships	Hong Kong, China	[14]
200m Individual Medley	2:07.33	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	{{{date}}}
400m Individual Medley	4:40.47	NAT	Matthew Abeysinghe	Sri Lanka	3 July 2016	2016 South Asian Games	Guwahati, India	[14]

See also[]

• List of Sri Lankans by sport

References[]