Matthew Glaetzer: Q&A with the ARA Australian Cycling Team

ARA Australian Cycling Team veteran Matthew Glaetzer has had a glittering track cycling career spanning more than a decade.

But before he was one of Australia’s fastest men on the track, the three-time Olympian was on a trajectory to be a pole vaulter until injury as a teenager forced him to quit.

Glaetzer went from launching into the air, to launching a stellar track cycling career which has since seen him win five Commonwealth Games gold medals and claim three World Championship titles.

Read on to get to know more about ARA Australian Cycling Team athlete Matthew Glaetzer.

What is your full name? Matthew William Glaetzer

Nickname/s? Matty

Age? 31

What is your hometown? Adelaide

What is your home club? Central Districts Cycling Club

What do you like to watch, movie/TV show/ or book? I love watching Formula One and the PGA.

What's your cheat meal? The 'Everything Burger' from Burgertec

What's your coffee order? I'm not a big coffee drinker but I enjoy a social cappuccino.

What's your ideal holiday? A beachside villa on a tropical island.

When and how did you learn to ride a bike? Dad taught me in our front yard.

How did you get into the sport competitively? After participating in a come-and-try triathlon, I found that I enjoyed the cycling leg the most. This led me to join a cycling club and start competing in road races. However, it was when I tried racing on the velodrome that I knew it was the perfect fit for me.

What's your favourite place/track to ride? Why? Japan as it's outdoor and full of history.

What's your favourite event? Why? Team Sprint because I get to share success with teammates.

Who is/was your sporting idol? Usain Bolt.

What has been one of your career highlights? Racing the Japanese Keirin for 9 months in Izu.

What do you hope to have achieved by the end of your career? An Olympic medal.

If I wasn't a rider/cyclist, I'd be ... A pole vaulter, as it was the sport I was forced to stop because of injury when I was 13.