Matthew Richardson has secured his first national gold medals as a British cyclist, just six months after controversially abandoning Australia for Britain, resulting in a lifetime ban from competing for his former country. The former Australian champion, who achieved three Olympic medals while representing Australia, shocked fans by announcing his switch to Great Britain, his birthplace, shortly after the Paris Olympics.
At the recent national track championships held in Manchester, Richardson triumphed in both the individual and team sprint events. He is now poised to compete for a triple gold in the keirin on the final day of the championships, aiming to add to the seven national titles he previously claimed as an Australian athlete.
Expressing his mixed emotions, Richardson noted, “It feels pretty sweet” to don his new colours. Despite the lifetime sanctions imposed by Australia’s cycling authority, AusCycling, he dismissed their impact, likening the situation to a job termination after resigning.
Born in Maidstone, Kent, and raised in Perth from the age of nine, Richardson developed his cycling skills in Australia before contemplating his return to British competition. He stated, “I figured now’s probably a good time to do it… I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t give it a crack.”