36 Facts About Matthew Abeysinghe

Matthew Duncan Abeysinghe OLY was born on 19 March 1996 and is a competitive swimmer who has represented Sri Lanka at numerous international competitions, including the 2016 and 2020 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo respectively.

Matthew Abeysinghe is the Sri Lankan national record holder in every single freestyle event, the 200m and 400m Individual Medley, and the 50m Butterfly.

Matthew Abeysinghe broke the record for most number of gold medals won at a single edition of the South Asian Games, a record owned by another Sri Lankan swimmer, Julian Bolling, winning seven golds at the 2016 Games in Guwahati, India and breaking the record in again in 2019 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Matthew Abeysinghe trained under his coach and father, Manoj Matthew Abeysinghe, with Killer Whale Aquatics, until his departure for higher education, where he resumed his training at Ohio State University in the US.

Matthew Abeysinghe started swimming when he was three years old alongside his elder brother, Andrew.

Matthew Abeysinghe has been quoted, saying he started swimming merely for water safety, not to compete.

Matthew Abeysinghe is considered the greatest athlete in South Asian Games history.

Matthew Abeysinghe is the most decorated; winning a total of 14 gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal.

In Freestyle, his most proficient stroke, Matthew Abeysinghe holds all of the national records except for the 200m Freestyle, which belongs to his younger brother, Kyle.

Matthew Abeysinghe holds the South Asian record in the 100m and 200m Freestyle events.

In 2011, Matthew 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 Matthew Abeysinghe competed at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

The next year, Matthew 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.

In 2014, at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, Matthew Abeysinghe competed in the 100m Freestyle.

Matthew Abeysinghe competed in the 2014 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Seoul, Korea.

In 2015, Matthew Abeysinghe competed at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

Matthew Abeysinghe competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, alongside fellow swimming star, Kimiko Raheem.

Matthew Abeysinghe competed in the 100m Freestyle, with a time of 50.96.

In early 2017, Matthew Abeysinghe moved to the US to attend Ohio State University.

Matthew Abeysinghe became the first Sri Lankan to break the "50-second" barrier.

Matthew Abeysinghe competed in the 50m and 100m Freestyle events, qualifying for the semifinal in both.

Matthew Abeysinghe competed in the 100m freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Matthew Abeysinghe is the first swimmer ever to qualify under the Olympic Standard to represent Sri Lanka in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games from 5 to 22 August.

In February 2018, Matthew Abeysinghe was named to Sri Lanka's 2018 Commonwealth Games team.

Matthew Abeysinghe's time of 49.11 in the 100 Freestyle was an Ohio State University record and he became the 1st Sri Lankan to break the 50 second barrier.

Matthew Abeysinghe continued his golden run at the South Asian Games and repeated his feat from the 2016 edition, winning 7 gold and a silver in the 2019 South Asian Games held in Kathmandu Nepal.

Matthew Abeysinghe overcame training challenges due to COVID and competed in the 50 and 100 Freestyle events at the postponed Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.

Matthew Abeysinghe was born in the US and started his swimming career there.

Matthew Abeysinghe had a great start where he was top 5 in the US Top 16 classification as an 8 year old and was placed 1st in the 50 Butterfly.

Matthew Abeysinghe joined the Swim America program and Killer Whale Aquatics when it was launched in 2012.

Matthew Abeysinghe then joined Asian International School Colombo, subsequently moving to the US for higher education and training at The Ohio State University.

Matthew Abeysinghe's family is well known for their swimming prowess in the sporting community of Sri Lanka.

Matthew Abeysinghe has three brothers, one elder and two younger, all of whom are swimmers.

Matthew Abeysinghe's elder brother, Andrew Abeysinghe, is a former national champion, national record holder, and multiple South Asian Games gold medalist.

Dillon Matthew Abeysinghe, his younger brother, is a former national champion, national record holder, and South Asian Aquatic Championship medalist.

Matthew Abeysinghe's 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.