Born in Invercargill and now living in Queenstown, Matt was an avid skier before his accident at age 17. The apprentice carpenter was involved in a car accident in Wanaka, resulting in the loss of his left leg below the knee and his left arm below the elbow. Para alpine skiing was suggested to help Matt rehab from injury and move in a new direction away from carpentry. Matt made his Paralympic debut at the Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games, along with 6 other Kiwi Para alpine skiers. 4 years later, Matt won gold and is New Zealand’s most prolific medallist at a single Paralympic Winter Games.
At the Nagano 1998 Paralympic Winter Games, Matt won 3 gold medals in Men’s Giant Slalom LW9, Men’s Slalom LW9 and Men’s Super-G LW9, rounding out his haul with a silver in Men’s Downhill LW1. Today, Matt still enjoys skiing and works as a property manager in Queenstown.
Matt officially received his ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Queenstown in September 2020.
