Matthew Abeysinghe is a Sri Lankan medal winning swimmer who is the most decorated athlete in the history of South Asian Games. In two editions of SAG he has won 18 medals, including 14 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. In addition, he has won the highest number of gold medals at a single edition of SAG twice in a row in 2016 and 2019. He is also the only Sri Lankan swimmer to have achieved an Olympic standard and the first to achieve a FINA World Championships qualifying standard in the same event for the Kazan edition in 2015. He has represented his country at numerous international competitions. He is the current Sri Lankan national record holder in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 1500 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 400 individual medley and 100m butterfly. He also hold all the freestyle sc national records and many other as well. He was the leading gold medalist at the 12th South Asian Games for Sri Lanka in India. He represented Sri Lanka in the Youth Olympics in 2014 and was ranked 13th overall in Boys' 100-metre freestyle and 15th in the Boys' 200-metre freestyle.
With 7 gold medals 2 silver and 1 bronze 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.
2016 Summer Olympics
Abeysinghe is the 1st swimmer ever qualify under the Olympic Standard to represent Sri Lanka in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games from August 5 to 22.
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.
Matthew continued his glory at the South Asian platform winning 7 gold and silver in the 2019 South Asian Games held in Kathmandu Nepal.
Personal life
Matthew Abeysinghe was a student of Asian International School Colombo, and is coached by his father Manoj Abeysinghe. His brothers Andrew, Dillon and Kyle Abeysinghe all represented Sri Lanka and together they hold the Sri Lankan national record for the Men's 4x50 Medley Relay.
