Matthew Douglas

{{Short description|British hurdler (born 1976)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Matt Douglas | image = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = Hurdles | club = Belgrave Harriers | birth_date = 26 November 1976 | birth_place = London, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = 193 cm | weight =90 kg }} '''Matthew Douglas''' (born 26 November 1976 in London) is a former track and field athlete who specialised in the 400 metres hurdles.<ref>{{World Athletics}}</ref> He represented Great Britain at two consecutive Summer Olympics starting in 2000.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418025459/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/do/matt-douglas-1.html Matthew Douglas]. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2013-10-29.</ref> At the Commonwealth Games he first represented Northern Ireland, then later twice competed for England.

== Biography == Douglas finished on the podium on four occasions at the AAA Championships in 1997 2000, 2003 and 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=10 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=10 July 2025}}</ref>

His personal best in the event is 48.54 seconds, set in 2003. As things stand it currently makes Douglas the 4th fastest Briton of all time over this distance at sea level.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he represented Great Britain in the 400 metres hurdles event<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/86917 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=10 July 2025}}</ref> and at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, he represented the Great Britain team again.<ref name=oly/>

Douglas suffered from several injury problems towards the end of his career which forced him into early retirement.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} He has a degree in Sports Sciences from Brunel University London.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Brunel-athletes-head-for-Melbourne |title=Brunel athletes head for Melbourne |author= |date=3 February 2006 |website=Brunel University London |access-date=29 January 2019 |archive-date=24 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041610/https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Brunel-athletes-head-for-Melbourne |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Competition record == {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{NIR}} |- |1995 |European Junior Championships |Nyíregyháza, Hungary |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |400 m hurdles |51.73 |- |1997 |European U23 Championships |Turku, Finland |12th (h) |400 m hurdles |52.14 |- |rowspan=3|1998 |rowspan=3|Commonwealth Games |rowspan=3|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |16th (h) |110 m hurdles |15.13 |- |11th (h) |400 m hurdles |50.20 |- |12th (h) |{{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} relay |3:07.27 |- |1999 |Universiade |Palma de Mallorca, Spain |26th (h) |400 m hurdles |52.07 |- |2000 |Olympic Games |Sydney, Australia |19th (sf) |400 m hurdles |49.53 |- |2001 |Universiade |Beijing, China |? (h) |400 m hurdles |50.59 |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}} |- |2002 |Commonwealth Games |Manchester, United Kingdom |8th |400 m hurdles |49.38 SF |- |2003 |Universiade |Daegu, South Korea |bgcolor=silver|2nd |400 m hurdles |49.2648.54 SF |- |2004 |Olympic Games |Athens, Greece |27th (h) |400 m hurdles |49.77 |- |rowspan=2|2006 |rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games |rowspan=2|Melbourne, Australia |12th (sf) |400 m hurdles |50.56 |- |2nd (h) |{{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} relay |3:03.91 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Matthew}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes from London Category:Men hurdlers from Northern Ireland Category:Irish men hurdlers Category:English men hurdlers Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for England Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Northern Ireland Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:Alumni of Brunel University London Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for Great Britain Category:Medalists at the 2003 Summer Universiade Category:British men hurdlers