THE city's swimming club is on the crest of a wave after Worcestershire's Matt Richards helped bring home Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Growing up, Droitwich-born Matt Richards attended Bishop Perowne CoE College and began his swimming journey at age five at Droitwich Leisure Centre.

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He moved on to Droitwich Dolphins Swimming Club when he was eight and then Worcester Swimming club at age ten.

Chris Rimell, from Worcester Swimming Club said: "Its' amazing little Worcester Swimming club has produced an Olympian, we're so proud to have been a part of Matt's journey."

At 13 he joined an elite programme in Wolverhampton, going on to break countless British age-group records.

Aged 16, he became the 2019 European junior champion in the 100m freestyle.

Team GB won gold in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay (6:58.58) in the early hours of Wednesday morning (July 28), thanks in part to a heroic effort from 18-year-old Matt

The win almost broke the world record and was Britain's first 4x200m freestyle relay victory at the Olympics since 1908.

The swimmer's proud parents, Simon and Amanda Richards, said they bought their son a paddling pool in lockdown to help him train, after restrictions meant he might have been out of the water for 10 weeks.

The Olympian had to get creative by building a ‘swimming treadmill’ at his home using the inflatable pool, a harness, and a bungee rope.

Mr Richards said: "We attached some bungee cords to the garage wall and he was in there swimming hour after hour in his wetsuit keeping a feel for the water".

Mrs Richards added: "It helped him mentally."

Thankfully, Matt, was then invited to train at the Bath National Centre under strict Covid-secure protocols.

Mr Richards, took to Twitter yesterday morning to post his victory celebration. He wrote: "Doesn’t everyone drink beer at 0445hrs?!?!".

Mrs Richards said she was "mostly just feeling really sick" throughout the event.

She added: "It was just utter relief at the end when it all came off."