World champion Matt Richards nominated for UK Sport Award

Two-time world champion Matt Richards has been nominated for the UK Sport Awards after a historic year

Matt Richards was nominated for awards UK Sport’s PLx Awards 2023 after a year in which he won double gold World Championship.

The 20-year-old – trained by Ryan Livingstone in Millfield, South West England – hinted at what was to come British Championships in April, where he became the first man to achieve the 21/47.1:44 freestyle triple, with 21.98 in the 50m, 47.72 in the 100m and 1:44.83 in the 200m.

At the World Championships in Fukuoka he reached the 200 meters free and he led the home Olympic champions Tom Dean for a historic British one-two before the pair teamed up Duncan Scott And James Guy to add the 4×200 world title to her Olympic title.

Matt Richards: Photo courtesy: Morgan Harlow/British Swimming

He also led the British 4×100 mixed free quartet in 47.83, which secured bronze with a European record of 3:21.68.

Richards has an opportunity to expand his silverware next month European Short Course Swimming Championships in Otopeni, Romania.

There he will compete in the 50, 100 and 200 free, where there are others David Popovici, Maxime Grousset And Florent Manaudou await you along with British teammates Dean, Scott, Guy and Ben proud.

His achievements were recognized with his nomination for the Athlete Award Joe Clarke – who won two titles ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships 2023 – And Matt Westonwho secured the skeleton world title while enjoying a golden world championship season.

The PLx Awards are hosted by UK Sport and supported by the National Lottery with individuals, teams and outstanding projects in the Olympic and Paralympic high performance community being celebrated at the awards ceremony in Stratford-upon-Avon on November 28th.

Looking back on his 2023 so far, Richards told Swimming World:

“It was a great year. Last season for me and the team was about getting back to where we wanted to be.

“Last year was pretty tough for me; It wasn’t where I wanted to be after the success in Tokyo and so last season for us was about getting back on the path I wanted to be on the road to Paris.”