Australian cycling champion Matthew Glaetzer, a cancer survivor known for his perseverance through sporting heartbreak, has a fondness for ducks. He and his wife Nikki often enjoy therapeutic strolls along the river near their Adelaide home, where they spot Pacific black ducks and wood ducks. Sometimes they recognise particular ducks, and occasionally the ducks recognise them.
Overcoming Hurdles and Gathering Honours
For the past 15 years, the 33-year-old Glaetzer has been overcoming hurdles while collecting podium honours with the Australian cycling team. Tense fans watched as he repeatedly missed Olympic medals, finishing fourth again and again. Then, after all that torment, he won bronze twice in Paris—the games he suspected would be his last. At the end of last month, Glaetzer announced his retirement to become a firefighter. His career includes four Olympic Games (two bronze medals), three Commonwealth Games (five gold and two bronze), and nine UCI track world championships (three gold, four silver, and two bronze).
Faith and Community Support
Glaetzer lives in Paradise, a suburb of Adelaide, and is deeply involved in a Pentecostal church. He credits his faith community with helping him through tough times, including his battle with thyroid cancer. "Knowing that I'm never alone was a big part of being able to get through my thyroid cancer, to be strong through it," he says. He also credits his friends and family for keeping him grounded, despite the egos in professional sports.
Early Days and Training
Glaetzer grew up near the Linear Path, a 30km trail along the Torrens River where he learned to ride. His first bike was a Malvern Star lent by an uncle, an old clunker with a steel frame. Later, he would race around the velodrome at 80km/h on a carbon-fibre bike, reaching speeds of 102km/h on the road. He has had accidents, including a crash that left a chunk under his eye and a 6cm splinter in his hip, but he never broke a bone due to the dense skeleton from elite training.
Cancer Diagnosis and Recovery
In 2019, doctors found thyroid cancer after physiotherapists noticed a stiff neck. Glaetzer chose to keep training during treatment, saying it helped maintain normality. He underwent a thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine therapy. Now he takes medication to replicate thyroid function, which he will need to adjust after retirement.
Olympic Near-Misses and Triumph
After a calf injury threatened his career, Glaetzer recovered in time for the delayed Tokyo Olympics, where he finished fourth and fifth. In Paris 2024, he finally won bronze in the team sprint and keirin, describing those podiums as "like a gold." He says, "It all kind of culminated into a perfect sort of swan song for me." He retired knowing he had achieved his Olympic dream.
New Beginnings
As he moves into a "more normal" life as a firefighter, Glaetzer cherishes the moments sport gave him. He and Nikki are expecting a child in August. "We're so excited to start this journey," he says.
