Olympic medalist Matthew Richardson has opted to change his racing nationality from Australian to British. The 25-year-old brought home three medals from the Paris Olympics - bronze in the team sprint and silver in both the keirin and individual sprint events for Australia this month.
However, having been born in Maidstone, Kent and lived in Australia since age nine, Richardson plans to return to the UK and continue with the British sprint squad.
"I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move halfway across the world to begin the next chapter in my cycling career. It is with a sense of excitement and renewal I announce I have joined the Great British Cycling Team," Richardson said in a statement.
"Switching nationality was a difficult decision, and not one I took lightly. It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. I deeply respect Australia and the Aus Cycling Team and it will always be a part of who I am. As this new chapter in my life begins, I would like to sincerely thank the coaches and support staff who have worked with me over many years in Australia.
"But this decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights. This isn't about leaving something behind, but about embracing a new chapter in my journey and chasing a dream, a dream that is to race for the county which I was born in."
Jesse Korf, AusCycling Executive General Manager for Performance, expressed their regret.
"The announcement of Matt's switch is disappointing and came as a surprise. We also understand that the desire to compete for a country one was born in can bring forth strong emotions," Korf said. "Matt has been an intricate part of our sprint program for the past two years, enjoying many successes on the track across two Olympic Games, a Commonwealth Games, multiple UCI Track World Championships campaigns and several UCI Track Nations Cup and World Cup seasons."
