Australian track cycling sprint icon Matthew Glaetzer has announced his retirement.
Glaetzer officially called time on his career today, ending a storied 15-year campaign with the ARA Australian Cycling Team that included four Olympic Games and three Commonwealth Games.
"I want to sincerely thank each and every one of the people around me throughout my career for the support, guidance and belief you have shown me," Glaetzer said.
"As many would know, I have been working towards a new career as a firefighter and this year I have been fortunate to commence full-time employment in that role. With this transition, I’m formally announcing that I am retiring from the sport to which I have dedicated the past 15 years of my life.
"I am proud of what I have achieved and deeply grateful for the people who have been part of that journey. If, along the way, I have had any positive impact on you, then I consider my time in the sport a true success.
"Thank you again for everything. I am excited to embrace this next chapter and continue serving the community through my new career with the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service."
Today’s announcement means the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were the 33-year-old's final competitive appearance. It proved a fitting farewell, where Glaetzer achieved his sporting dream of winning an Olympic medal.
Glaetzer’s Olympic journey began at London 2012 when Australia’s team sprint finished fourth in the bronze medal final versus Germany.
At Rio 2016, Glaetzer heartbreakingly finished fourth twice in the team sprint and sprint.
At Tokyo 2020, it was a third consecutive fourth in the team sprint and fifth in the keirin.
In Paris, Glaetzer won bronze in the team sprint and labelled the breakthrough as “like a gold to me”.
Five days later, Glaetzer famously doubled his Olympic medal tally with bronze in the keirin.
The South Australian hangs up the bike as the winner of 18 major international medals across the Olympic Games (two bronze), Commonwealth Games (five gold, two bronze) and UCI Track World Championships (three gold, four silver, two bronze).
As a burgeoning teenage talent, Glaetzer first represented Australia at the 2009 UCI Junior Track World Championships, just months after joining Central Districts Cycling Club and his introduction to the velodrome.
He returned to the same event a year later and displayed early signs of the greatness that was to come, winning the sprint and keirin junior world titles.
Seven months later, the then 18-year-old began his senior Australian Cycling Team career at the 2011 UCI Track World Championships with bronze in the team sprint.
From 2012 to 2018, Glaetzer grew into the stature of a household name because of his Olympic and Commonwealth Games performances, but his story turned to truly inspirational late in 2019 after a shock thyroid cancer diagnosis.
Following surgery, Glaetzer swiftly returned to racing within a month and delivered podium results at UCI Track World Cups in Cambridge and Brisbane before his selection for Tokyo 2020.
Gracie Elvin, AusCycling Athlete Liaison and Alumni Club lead, paid tribute to the impact and cultural legacy Glaetzer will leave with the Australian Cycling Team.
“While Matt was an exceptional sprinter and achieved many notable results, he was just as well- known for his resilience, determination, and generous spirit,” Elvin said.
“We hope that Matt would like to continue his journey in cycling off the track and within the Alumni Club, where he can share his knowledge and passion for the next wave of sprinters while being supported by fellow alumni in his transition away from racing.”
Feature picture: Con Chronis