THE city’s swimming club is at the height of a wave after Worcestershire’s Matt Richards helped bring home Olympic gold in Tokyo.
Growing up, Droitwich born Matt Richards attended Bishop Perowne CoE College and began his swimming journey at the Droitwich Leisure Center at the age of five.
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He moved to the Droitwich Dolphins Swimming Club at the age of eight and to the Worcester Swimming Club at the age of ten.
Chris Rimell of Worcester Swimming Club said, “The amazing little Worcester Swimming Club produced an Olympian. We are so proud to have been a part of Matt’s journey.”
At 13, he took part in an elite program in Wolverhampton and broke countless British age group records.
At the age of 16, he became the European Junior Champion in the 100 m freestyle in 2019.
Team GB won gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay (6: 58.58) in the early hours of Wednesday morning (July 28), thanks in part to a heroic performance by 18-year-old Matt
The win almost broke the world record and was Britain’s first win in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the Olympics since 1908.
The swimmer’s proud parents, Simon and Amanda Richards, said they bought their son a wading pool to help him exercise after restrictions meant he might not be in the water for 10 weeks.
The Olympian had to get creative by building a “floating treadmill” at home with the inflatable pool, harness and bungee rope.
Mr Richards said, “We tied some bungee cords to the garage wall and he swam in his wetsuit for hour after hour, keeping a feel for the water.”
Ms. Richards added, “It has helped him mentally.”
Fortunately, Matt was then invited to exercise at the Bath National Center under strict Covid-safe protocols.
Mr. Richards went on Twitter yesterday morning to post his victory celebration. He wrote: “Doesn’t everyone drink beer at 4:45 a.m.?!?!”.
Ms. Richards said she “mostly just feels really sick” throughout the event.
She added, “In the end it was just a huge relief when everything worked out.”