Last Updated on 07/09/2024 by Crip Life
Para-cyclist Matthew Robertson, who was inspired to take up the sport as a teenager by London 2012 Olympic Champion Sir Chris Hoy, will head to the French capital for the first time as part of the ParalympicsGB squad, hoping to make it onto the podium across the road and track.
As part of our ParalympicsGB debutants interview series, our editor, Emma Purcell, speaks to Matthew Robertson about living with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, becoming a Para-cyclist, his sporting success so far and what he is most looking forward to at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
A graduate of the Great Britain Cycling Team development programme rider Robertson has produced a series of encouraging results at the international level and makes his Paralympic debut at Paris 2024.
The 25-year-old from Greenwich, who has cerebral palsy, initially struggled with cycling in his younger years, mastering the art as a 13-year-old.
After graduating through the Great Britain Cycling Team’s development programme, Matthew made his world-level debut at the 2019 track World Championships in Apeldoorn.
After a strong series of results at the 2024 World Track Cycling Championships, including fourth place in the men’s scratch race, Matthew won his first World Championship medal with bronze in the men’s C2 omnium.
Having worked through a long period of recovery after a road traffic accident in 2022, Matthew will make his Paralympic debut in the C2 individual pursuit on the track, as well as the C2 road race, before joining his teammates in the C1-3 road race.
A total of 17 riders plus six pilots have been selected to compete. Matthew will be one of six making their Paralympic debuts. The other five debutants are Daphne Schrager, Fran Brown, Lizzie Jordan and pilot Danni Khan, Archie Atkinson and Blaine Hunt.
Returning Para-cyclists will include Dame Sarah Storey – appearing at her ninth Paralympic Games – Kadeena Cox, Jody Cundy, Lora Fachie, Sophie Unwin, Jaco van Gass and Neil Fachie.
Read on to find out more about Matthew Robertson in his own words and scroll down to see his Paris 2024 results.
Matthew Robertson on living with cerebral palsy and epilepsy
What was it like growing up with right-side hemiplegia cerebral palsy?
Growing up with cerebral palsy (CP) brings many challenges, but with that comes the ability to be different and work around solving ways to do things that maybe you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.
When I was younger I was really self-conscious of the disability and the way it made me look to others. At this point, all I wanted was to have my right hand and leg work normally like everyone else.
It was hard to get over the fact that others didn’t understand how it affected me and that it looked a little odd. But over time I have learnt and embraced the fact that I am different as well and working on the strength and mobility of the affected side.
How does living with cerebral palsy affect you on a daily basis?
The CP affects me all down the right side of my body meaning I have limited feeling and sensation on that side and that the connections aren’t as crisp or powerful to my brain as my left side, which is what in turn means the limbs don’t work or build strength in the same way as the left.
This just means that nearly every day I have to work on adapting how I do things to make it either one-hand friendly or with the limited grip I have in the right I can support whatever it is that I want to do at the time.
I am able to walk reasonably well but I do tire easily and have balance and coordination issues, which make lots of normal things more difficult, for example climbing steep steps.
It means that over the years I have become very left-hand dominant and it does mostly all of the work. All these balance issues make riding a bike especially difficult.
You also live with epilepsy. Do you manage your seizures well, especially when training and competing at cycling?
It was back in 2012 at the very start of the journey, and the day after my first 40km ride (I was 13) when I had my first seizure. It took months and my own deduction to realise that the salt and electrolyte I was losing through sweat whilst riding and presumably not replenishing sufficiently was one of the main triggers.
Throughout all the years in between I have concentrated on drinking plenty, especially electrolyte drinks. However, then a pattern formed in which heightened hard training, especially for the track, seemed to also be a trigger. There is no clinical analysis of this but I have wondered whether it may be the rush of oxygenated blood around the brain. Whilst training for Paris this does add another pressure.
Having said that though, just when I think I have found a pattern, my epilepsy breaks all those rules and for no apparent reason I will have a seizure.
Stress seems to have been another trigger. Interestingly not the clear stress of racing, either road or track. High levels of clear stress of that sort have never been a trigger for me. It is the stupid everyday irritations that are an alarm bell for me and I have learnt that one of the most powerful bits of ammunition for me is to not get anxious and cross about trivia and to switch off when I begin to feel like this.
I always sleep plenty except whilst travelling of course, but to date, even lack of sleep because of flights or nerves doesn’t seem to have caused one.
It has felt utterly soul-destroying at times, a feeling I am sure everyone with epilepsy experiences, and because my sport is so important to me it has also made me feel both frustrated (because of the trigger of training), and insecure.
But overall I find that yes I do control them well and around racing, I try to do all the basics really well and keep hydrated with electrolytes, which ultimately carry the signals around the brain and sleep enough to make sure the brain gets enough rest.
Matthew Robertson on becoming a Para-cyclist
What got you interested in cycling and what was it like completing the GB development programme?
I first watched the Olympics in 2012 and it was Sir Chris Hoy’s keirin final. It was one of those light bulb moments where I just thought I had to do this and really wanted to get on the track and do it properly not just for fun but taking it seriously.
At this point, I had no idea about the Paralympic side and so from that moment set off learning to ride a bike. So started straight from scratch. Without knowing how long the road really was. But over time I got better and better and was racing track league along with the likes of Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright.
Then I found out about the Para-cycling side of things and was invited to a talent ID day and it really kickstarted from there, going to camps all around the country, At that moment I didn’t really know what I was part of.
But to be here now after having years on the development programme makes me feel really proud and shows that the pathway works and gets the riders to where they want. All the support from the development programme was huge and to have moved up makes me feel like I have done those people proud.
What has been the highlight of your cycling career so far?
The highlight of my career so far must be a bronze medal in the omnium at the track World Championships this year. It is a race that combines all events together to show who is the best.
This in some ways is harder than other races as you must be very consistent. But more importantly, this is my highlight because it gave me the confidence that what I am doing is working and that progress is happening.
It was also only a year and a half since I broke my left leg and for me to get back up to that level made me feel that it was all worth the hard work.
What was it like to receive a custom-made support piece engineered using 3D scanners at Manchester Metrology?
This was such a great experience and I am forever grateful to Manchester Metrology for getting on board with helping with this project. The aim was to create a right-sided ski that allows my affected side to have more support and stability while on the bike and so therefore able to be more stable on the bike and put out more power and ultimately go faster.
I’m honoured that the team they have there were willing to scan my right side so then we were able to make the changes needed and send a copy off to be printed in a stronger material. Without this happening the process would have been far more difficult and I wouldn’t have ended up with what I have today.
Away from cycling, do you have any other hobbies or interests?
Away from cycling, I am very into the performing arts and before I joined GB I was performing at a reasonably high level with my school. We had performed at the Greenwich Theatre and even been to the Edinburgh Fringe with performances but ultimately when it came to it I was always going to choose the sport.
I have also recently signed up to start an OU course in Environmental Sciences, which is another thing I am interested in. I always laugh at people and say if I weren’t a cyclist I would be in the environment area or working with wildlife.
Matthew Robertson on preparing for Paris 2024
How does it feel to be selected for your first Paralympic Games?
I can’t describe how overwhelmed I am to have made it to my first Games. It was such a nervous moment getting the email, as it could have gone either way for me. I knew that I had done well this year and made a step up but I hadn’t necessarily been winning anything and in such a competitive team everyone is doing so well that so many others could have been chosen.
It has made me see now that all the hard work was worth it and shows me that I am doing the right thing. In my opinion, it gives me such a great experience and more knowledge that the next part of my career can use and build from.
How have your preparations been going for Paris 2024?
As lots of people will say the prep for an event is never smooth, and for me, it has had its ups and downs. I have had some great sessions leading into it with some new PBs, which gives me confidence that I am doing well.
But I have also had some upsets with seizures and a crash that I have had to get over. But I know how to get over these and have had much worse happen to me. So I was able to deal with it.
But I know that I am ready because over the last few months, the accumulation of workload has been very high and that’s the main thing.
What are you looking forward to the most at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, as well as aiming to secure a medal?
As well as securing a medal I am really looking forward to taking the whole thing in and enjoying the moment. As athletes this doesn’t come around that often and it’s the biggest event as Paralympians that we will do.
It’s a chance to show the world and your friends and family what you are capable of. The international relationships are a big thing too and I’m looking forward to racing all the athletes in my class and seeing what happens.
I have never stepped foot into the athlete village and so to experience that is also high on the list of things to enjoy.
You can find out more about Matthew Robertson by following him on Instagram.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Matthew Robertson’s results
Matthew Robertson’s first Paralympic medal came in the Men’s C2 3000m Individual Pursuit, securing bronze in a time of 3:30, three seconds faster than Japan’s Shota
Kawamoto.
Speaking after the race, Matthew said: “I didn’t feel incredible on the bike because this is so hard but I feel incredible now. This is the culmination of so much hard work and I can’t tell you how special it is to be standing here with a medal.
“I just missed out on selection for Tokyo and it was really hard watching the guys on television, I wanted to be there and experiencing it so much. Now I’ve got my moment too.”
Matthew has also competed in the Men’s C2 Individual Time Trial road event, where he finished 5th. Three days later, he competed in the Men’s C1-3 Road Race, finishing 7th.
Speaking after the Road Race, Matthew said: “I tried my best to do what I could for the team but it was just tough from the start. You never really know how it’s going to pan out but we got a few guys up there and I had a bit of fun at the back trying to slow it down as best as I could to make sure no one caught up to them whilst also having a race of my own. It was type two fun.”
Be sure to catch up on Matthew Robertson’s events and the rest of the ParalympicsGB cycling squad at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4.
What is Para-cycling?
Paralympic cyclists compete under exactly the same rules and conditions as their counterparts at the Olympic Games.
Road cyclists compete on handcycles, tricycles, tandem bicycles or bicycles according to their functionality. On the track, cyclists ride either tandem bicycles or bicycles.
Team sprint: Contested over three laps of the track by two teams of three riders. Teams start at opposite sides of the track and each rider must lead for one lap. The front rider pulls out of the way at the end of each lap leaving the next rider to take over at the front. The third and final front rider sets the team time when they cross the finishing line at the end of the third lap.
3km and 4km individual pursuit (two events): Competitors start on opposite sides of the track and attempt to catch their opponent. The four athletes with the best times in the opening round progress to the next round progress to the medal rides, where the two fastest qualifiers race for gold and silver and third races fourth compete for the bronze medal. If a competitor catches and passes the opponent, they win the race – although they may choose to continue, usually if they are attempting to break a record or set a new personal best.
500m time-trial: Contested over two laps of the track, a rider begins with a standing start and riders compete against the clock to complete the distance in the fastest time.
Road race: Races have a bunched start and the first rider to cross the finishing line wins.
Road time-trial: Competitors start at 60-second intervals and the rider completing the distance the fastest is declared the winner.