Matt Richardson, who won silver for Australia in the individual sprint and the keirin at Paris 2024, as well as bronze in the team sprint, is to switch nationality and ride for Great Britain.

The 25-year-old was born and brought up in Maidstone, Kent, but moved to Western Australia at the age of nine because of his father’s work.

He has admitted in the past that it had “crossed his mind” to compete for the country of his birth, saying he had kept his British passport. Speaking about his upbringing during the UCI Track Champions League finale in London in 2022, and his move to Australia as a young boy, Richardson said he still felt an emotional pull to the UK.

“At that time, my whole life was in England,” he explained. “Now I’ve lived more in Australia than I have in the UK, but the memories and sentimental value of home are still definitely there.”

The UCI, cycling’s governing body, signed off on the switch of nationality on Monday morning. The process has taken some months, meaning Richardson – who is in a relationship with Emma Finucane, Britain’s new golden girl of track cycling – was riding for Australia at the recent Olympics knowing he was planning to change nationalities.

‘A dream to race for the country I was born in’

Announcing the news on his Instagram in a post that started with the message “the end of an era”, Richardson said: “I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move half way 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.

“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. It’s not something I decided on quickly or easily. 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. Special mention to Midland Cycle Club, WAIS and Aus Cycling, with personal thanks to the two biggest coaching influences in my career, Clay Worthington and Matt Crampton. I want to say a huge thank you to my team-mates for everything we’ve been through together. You’ve been there for the highs and the lows, and I’m so grateful for all the support, laughter, and hard work we’ve shared.

“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 in which I was born.

“I hope you can understand and support me as I continue to give my best in the sport I love.”

Stephen Park, the performance director of the GB Cycling Team, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Matt to the team and will be supporting him in his transition onto the programme over the coming weeks and months.

“We are incredibly proud of our sprint programme, which has delivered some fantastic results at the recent Olympic Games and continues to go from strength to strength. Matt will only be adding to this strength in depth and I am excited to see what his presence adds to the talent we already have as we start to turn our attention to the new four-year cycle towards LA 2028.”

Richardson is far from the first rider to switch nationality. UAE Team Emirates rider Pavel Sivakov, who held dual Russian and French citizenship, famously switched from Russia to France in 2022 following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

“I’ve wanted to become a French national for some time and had made the request to the UCI, but given what is happening in Ukraine at the moment, I wanted to fast-track this,” he said at the time.