Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent (CBE), is an English rowing champion, four-time Olympic gold medallist and broadcaster.

Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent (CBE), is an English rowing champion, four-time Olympic gold medallist and broadcaster.

Sir Matthew was born in Holt, Norfolk, and began rowing at Eton College. He began his international career at the Junior World Rowing Championships in 1987. He raced again in 1988, winning the junior coxless pairs with Tim Foster. After finishing school, Pinsent studied Geography at St Catherine's College, Oxford. He competed in three Boat Races, winning in 1990 and 1991 but was unsuccessful in 1993 (when he was Boat Club President), having taken a year out in 1992 in order to concentrate on preparing for the Barcelona Olympics.

In 1990, while still at Oxford, he joined Steve Redgrave in the coxless pair at the World Rowing Championships, winning bronze. This was the beginning of a long partnership, and the pair won at the World Championships in 1991, and at the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996.

In 2000 he won Olympic gold again as part of a coxless four with Redgrave, James Cracknell and Tim Foster. In August 2000, the month prior to winning gold in Sydney, he took part in a 3-part BBC documentary entitled Gold Fever. This followed the coxless four team in the years leading up to the Olympics, including video diaries recording the highs and lows in the quest for what would be Sir Matthew's third consecutive Gold.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Pinsent's fourth Olympic Games, Pinsent stroked the boat, with Cracknell, Ed Coode and Steve Williams. In a close race with world champions Canada, they again won gold.

Sir Matthew was elected to the International Olympic Committee's Athletics Commission in 2001, replacing Jan Zelezny. In 2004, at the Athens Olympics, he failed to secure re-election to the post, being replaced by Zelezny.

Sir Matthew announced his retirement from rowing on 30 November 2004. His autobiography, A lifetime in a race, was published on 2nd September 2004.

He has recently begun making steps into broadcasting, as a sports bulletin presenter for BBC News 24. Sir Matthew has become increasingly involved in motivational speaking and broadcasting. His other hobbies include golf, the cinema and flying helicopters.

Additionally, Matthew was a member of the international Olympic Committee and was actively involved in London's bid to stage the 2012 Olympic Games.

'Matthew's speech was excellent and extremely motivational. He commanded the stage and captivated the audience. I would like to use him for every conference'. 
IBM

'On behalf of the Management Team at SCA, I would like to thank you for attending our annual conference. Your excellent presentation was most appropriate for our theme of Delivering Excellence. You told us most clearly, the many aspects to doing just that when you achieved your goals. Our delegates are still talking about your presentation'. 
SCA UK

'Our thanks for your professional and inspirational contribution to our conference, the combination of your team and individual achievements was entirely appropriate and hit all the right notes'. 
Alliance & Leicester

'Matthew was excellent, he really helped get across the team spirit to achieve success which the client was very happy about. He chatted and spent a great deal of time with the guests. I would certainly recommend him to anyone'. 
Royal Bank of Scotland

'All our senior Chief Executives had great things to say about Matthew, he was a fantastic speaker'. 
NatWest

'Thank you so much for speaking at our annual conference, it was a privilege to hear you speak. The delegates were inspired and captured listening to you. You deserved the standing ovation, congratulations.' 
Consignia

'A big 'Thank you' to Matthew for yesterday, it was great to meet him. The whole day went well and Matthew's talk was fantastic! I hope he enjoyed himself too and I hope I have the opportunity to work with him again soon.' 
Procter & Gamble

'Many thanks for attending our Business Excellence Awards, you proved to be an extremely popular guest speaker'. 
Cambridge Newspapers

'Manpower was delighted to have Matthew present at the CIPD conference last year. He helped to attract a great deal of attention to our stand and went out of his way to talk to both prospective and existing clients thereby giving a good impression on behalf of Manpower. We would like to thank Matthew for his support and professionalism on the day.' 
ManPower