Matt Wells

For the 2010 World Cup series Matt teamed up with Marcus Bateman to race the men's double scull, winning gold in Bled and Munich and silver in Lucerne.  This new partnership is shaping up very well and has earned the nickname 'The Red Express' due to both rowers having red hair.

In 2009 Matt raced in the World Cup Series, winning gold in the M2x in Banyoles.  At the World Championships he and his partner Stephen Rowbotham narrowly missed an A-final place, a disappointment as Olympic medallists, and then unfortunately Matt was unable to race in the B-final due to injury.

He won a bronze medal in the men's double scull at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games showing real class in a very challenging field, missing silver by four hundredths of a second.  This was the first British men's Olympic sculling medal since 1976 and the culmination of an exceptional 3 years in the double with Stephen Rowbotham.  In 2006 they won World Championship bronze and were 4th in 2007. 

Matt learnt to row in 1993 at Queen Elizabeth High School because he wanted to try other sports to complement his running.  He won the single at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in 1996 and was selected in 1997 in a double scull for the British team at the World Junior Championships.  With an awesome finishing surge the double blew away the much fancied Australians and took Britain's first junior gold medal for five years.

In 1998 Matt was injured and the following year he came down to London to study Sports Science at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill and teamed up with his coach from the junior double scull, Darren Whiter.  Matt was selected in the single for the World U23 Championships in 1999 and came home with a bronze medal.

In 2000 Matt had his eye on two things: winning gold at the World U23 Championships and gaining selection for the Olympic Games.  He won the single at the GB Rowing Senior Trials for the second successive year and at the World U23 Championships in Copenhagen he won gold after dominating the field.  He then gained selection for the Sydney Olympics in the single and finished in 9th place.

In 2003 Matt again won the GB Rowing Team Senior Trials and then finished 5th in the men’s double with Ian Lawson at the 2003 World Championships in Milan.  As a result they secured an Olympic qualifying place, a major step forward for the men’s sculling squad.

The following year Matt gained Olympic selection in the double with Matthew Langridge.  In Athens they missed a place in the final by the narrowest of margins but raced with credit to win the B Final.

In 2005 Matt raced in the men's quad, becoming the first British crew to win a world level medal in this class by taking the bronze in Lucerne and followed this with 7th place at the World Championships.

Matt comes from a very sporty family.  His father had football trials with Middlesbrough, his mother played county level netball and his younger brother Peter emulated Matt by winning the World U23 single scull title in 2002.  Matt was an extremely accomplished runner before he took up rowing.  He was County Champion at 800, 1500 and 3000 metres and winner of the regional league cross country title.

Matt is Lottery Funded through UK Sport.