Commonwealth Games 2026: Matt Richardson set to face former Australian teammates

Richardson won gold in the individual and team sprint events at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and said he was not worried about the target on his back.

“I use it as fuel,” he said. “I always find motivation in something, whether it’s trying to hunt someone down, trying to be better than someone or trying to be better than other people.”

However, his busy schedule may play a role in how many events he can attend at the Games.

“I’ll be traveling from Japan (between races), so it’s perfect to see which events I can actually make,” Richardson admitted.

“If I want to race a team sprint, I’ll fly out that day and literally go straight to the velodrome and race.

“Whether it’s the best thing to do physically, I’m still undecided, but theoretically I have time for everything.

“Currently my plan is to race in the team sprint, keirin and sprint. The kilo is uncertain. If I race everything, the goal is to win everything.”