Home Sports Cycling Defector Matthew Richardson ‘Just Along for the Ride’ During High-Speed World Record Attempt

Cycling Defector Matthew Richardson ‘Just Along for the Ride’ During High-Speed World Record Attempt

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Matthew Richardson, a British track cyclist, has made history by becoming the first athlete to complete a 200-metre flying start sprint in under nine seconds. He achieved this remarkable feat at the Konya Velodrome in Turkey, clocking in at 8.941 seconds, thus establishing a new world record.

At just 26 years of age, Richardson’s journey to this achievement has been a noteworthy one. Previously, he represented Australia, where he won three medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics before switching his allegiance to Britain. This record-breaking performance surpassed the former record of 9.088 seconds.

Reflecting on his achievement, Richardson noted, “I was basically just a passenger. I gave the bike a bit of direction, and it was just steering itself almost.” He explained that while he was cautious around the corners of the track, he focused on giving it his all during the sprint.

Richardson initially broke the world record during qualifying for the Paris Olympics with a time of 9.091 seconds; however, this was quickly bested by his competitor, Harrie Lavreysen. In March, he came close to setting the record again at the same venue in Konya, registering a time of 9.041 seconds, but this was deemed ineligible by the UCI due to a violation of track boundaries.

Born in England and moving to Perth, Australia, at the age of nine, Richardson began his cycling career with the Midland Cycling Club and progressed to the Western Australian Institute of Sport. His unexpected decision to switch national representation shocked the Australian cycling community, and a ban was later placed on him by AusCycling, preventing him from competing for Australia in the future.

Following his landmark accomplishment, Richardson expressed his intention to attempt another record-breaking run, stating on Instagram, “Oh, you thought I was done?? Noooooooooo sir. Tomorrow I will try and break my own WR. Me vs me. Let’s have it.”

In related news, Will Bjergfelt from Britain also made headlines by setting a world record in the C5 UCI Hour Record, becoming the first para-cyclist to travel over 50 kilometres in an hour by completing a distance of 51.471 kilometres within the allotted time.

With his current trajectory and determination, Matthew Richardson’s aspirations for further success in cycling will undoubtedly keep fans eager for what’s next.

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