Matthew Richardson (cyclist)
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| Born | 17 April 1999[1] Maidstone, United Kingdom[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Discipline | Track | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Matthew Richardson (born 17 April 1999) is a British[3] track cyclist. He competed in the men's keirin, individual sprint and team sprint at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. His most successful event was the team sprint, where the Australians came fourth.[4][5] He competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Men's keirin.
Early years
[edit]Richardson was born in Maidstone, Kent in England to English parents and moved to Australia for his father's work when he was nine years old. He grew up in Maidstone and then Warwick, Western Australia. As a result, he has both British and Australian citizenship.
Richardson loves gymnastics and was particularly good on the balance beam. As a teenager Richardson earned podium results at a national level. After suffering an elbow injury, he turned his interest to cycling.[6][7]
Achievements
[edit]Representating Australia
[edit]Richardson cycled for the Midland Cycling Club. He was invited to attend a 'come 'n' try' session and was recruited to the Western Australian Institute of Sport.
Three months before the 2019 World Championships, Richardson relocated to South Australia to join Cycling Australia's Podium Potential Academy. This move paid dividends as Richardson was selected to represent Australia in the team sprint. The team finished in sixth position and were edged out of the finals by eventual silver medallists, France.[6]
At the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Richardson won a bronze medal in the team sprint with Thomas Cornish and Nathan Hart. It was Australia's highest finish in this event at a World Championships in eight years.[8]
Richardson competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where he won gold medals in the team sprint event alongside Leigh Hoffman and Matthew Glaetzer[9] and in the individual sprint event.[10]
Richardson won three medals for Australia at Paris 2024 Olympics . Richardson won silver medals in the Men's Keirin and individual Sprint whilst also winning a Bronze in the Team Sprint
Switch to representating Great Britain
[edit]Following the 2024 Olympics it was announced that Richardson would be leaving the Australian cycling roster and would be switching to representing Great Britain - the country of his birth after an application by Richardson to switch allegiance was accepted by cycling's global governing body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).[11][12][13][14]. This move attracted controversy amongst the Australian Cycling community [15].
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Cycling Track RICHARDSON Matthew – Tokyo 2020 Olympics".
- ^ "Matthew Richardson". commonwealthgames.com.au. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- ^ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-20/matthew-richardson-defection-to-team-gb-is-disappointing-bates/104246734
- ^ "Matthew RICHARDSON". Olympics.com. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Matthew Richardson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Gymnast leaps from the beam to the bike". The West Australian. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships results
- ^ "Commonwealth Games: Cyclist Matthew Richardson claims first gold medal for WA in dominant team sprint". Perth Now. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- ^ "Commonwealth Games: Super final from WA's Matthew Richardson cements place as Commonwealth champion". Perth Now. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- ^ "Matt Richardson to join Great Britain Cycling Team sprint squad". British Cycling. 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ "Statement on Matthew Richardson". AusCycling date-19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ "Australia's Richardson switches to GB cycling team". BBC News. 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Fleming, Dave (19 August 2024). "He won cycling medals for Australia in Paris. Now, he's switched countries". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-20/matthew-richardson-defection-to-team-gb-is-disappointing-bates/104246734
External links
[edit]
- Matthew Richardson at Cycling Archives
- Matthew Richardson at CycleBase
- Matthew Richardson at Olympics.com
- Matthew Richardson at Olympedia
- Living people
- Australian male cyclists
- Australian track cyclists
- Cyclists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Olympic cyclists for Australia
- 1999 births
- 21st-century Australian sportspeople
- Cyclists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling
- UCI Track Cycling World Champions (men)
- Cyclists from Perth, Western Australia
- British emigrants to Australia
- Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
- Sportspeople from Maidstone
- Olympic bronze medalists in cycling
- Olympic bronze medalists for Australia
- Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- British male cyclists
- 21st-century British sportsmen
- British track cyclists
- Olympic silver medalists in cycling
- Olympic silver medalists for Australia