Matt Richardson Switches: Matt Richardson is now a British citizen after choosing to represent Britain in the Olympic Games instead of Australia. The 25-year-old athlete, who won three medals at the Paris Olympics, will compete for his home country in all future cycling competitions.
Australia to Great Britain: The Journey of Matt Richardson
Richardson was born in Kent and moved to Western Australia when he was nine years old. Despite living most of his life Down Under, he always held dual citizenship – a fact that facilitated this changeover.
Career-driven decision
Having secured seven golds at the Olympics, Sir Jason Kenny is in charge of GB’s sprint squad – and it will be here that Richardson will thrive. By joining Kenny’s troop, this ambitious modification of scenery shall propel him further than ever before.
Richardson’s switch explained
In an Instagram publish which has been deleted (however now not earlier than we screengrabbed it), posted on Thursday night and captioned “Difficult Decision,” Richardson opened up about his notion technique in the back of switching groups.
He said: “This has been a completely hard choice for me however one which I sense is essential if I need to hold growing as an athlete.”
“I have so much respect for Australia and what they have done for me over the last few years but representing Team GB feels right at this point in my career.”
A nod to AusCycling
Despite leaving them for their biggest rivals just two years after guiding them into existence with the merger of Cycling Australia and BMX Australia, Matt said some nice words about AusCycling too…
“Australia will always be part of who I am but it’s time for me to ride under a different flag.”
Korf surprised by move away from AusCycling program
Jesse Korf said he was disappointed by Matt’s decision to leave a system that had produced both personal and national success during his time there.
“This is not what we wanted or expected when we brought Matt into the program two years ago,” said Korf.
“Matt’s a great talent, and while we’re disappointed to see him go, we understand that every athlete is different and has their motivations.”
The desire to compete for one’s birth country
Korf also noted that the desire to compete for the country where one was born can evoke strong emotions. He acknowledged the powerful connection athletes often feel toward their birthplace, even after years of representing another nation.
Richardson’s achievements at Paris 2024
Earlier this month Richardson won silver in both the Individual Sprint and Keirin events as well as bronze in the Team Sprint at the UCI Track World Championships in Paris.
Looking ahead: Richardson with Team GB
With this move coming off an already strong showing at Paris, expectations will surely be higher for Richardson now than ever before. The British squad is sure to benefit from his experience – particularly given their recent lack thereof – as they gear up for Worlds next month.
In Summary
Cyclingnews would like to wish Matt all the best with his future career as a member of Great Britain’s cycling team. After three successful years Down Under, we are excited by what lies ahead!
