Track cyclist Matthew Glaetzer recovering from cancer surgery
The Australian received a shock diagnosis after doctors investigated his complaint of a sore neck
Former track cycling world champion Matthew Glaetzer was on his way back to Melbourne Airport after testing some equipment he was hoping to use at the 2020 Tokyo Games the next year.
However, he then received a phone call while sitting in the back of his taxi informing him he had thyroid cancer.
Glaetzer thought he had strained his neck during a leg press exercise in the gym, but after being attended to by doctors, they found a couple of nodules on his thyroid gland that shouldn't have been there, and after an ultrasound he was told it was "looking cancerous".
“I was checking my phone waiting for a call, then driving to the airport I got it saying ‘it’s positive for thyroid cancer and we need to start the process of dealing with it’," Glaetzer told Adelaide Now.
“You never want to hear that you’ve got cancer, it’s got such an ominous connotation to it and it’s pretty heavy, and I’ve got the taxi driver next to me when I’ve just been told. You need to take a moment to be like ‘OK’."
Luckily, Glaetzer's cancer was very treatable and had a very encouraging prognosis, combined with the fact it was caught early.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The 27-year-old had a thyroidectomy and neck dissection last week and will start taking radioactive iodine tablets in six weeks, which he doesn't expect to disturb his cycling career as he will be back on his bike within days.
"One of the first thoughts I had in regard to my cycling career and Tokyo was ‘I’m not going to let this stop me’, if I am able to and if it’s safe to, then you know what? I’m not going to let this have power over what I do," Glaetzer said.
"I have some goals I want to achieve and Tokyo is the big target, and that hasn’t changed. I’m not going to stop chasing the Olympics and being the best in the world.
"It’s the beginning of the next chapter in my life because I’ll never be the same after this, so it's just about staying calm and knowing there are some really good medical people looking after me."
Glaetzer is a two-time track world champion, having won gold in the Team Sprint at Melbourne 2012 and in the Men's Sprint in 2018 in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.
He's also won three Commonwealth golds, two in the Keirin in Glasgow in 2014 and at his home Games on the Gold Coast in 2018, where he also won the 1km time trial.
The Australian competed at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, narrowly missing out on medals after finishing fourth in both the Men's Sprint and Men's Team Sprint.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
The tech nerd's guide to the perfect coffee
Joe on Joe. What does it take to make a fine mug of Joe? We sent Joe Baker to find out.
By Joe Baker Published
-
Great Britain qualifies full track cycling squad for Paris Olympics
Team GB will now select up to 16 riders to compete across the sprint and endurance events
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'My legs are screaming' - 17-year-old stuns with two gold medals at the British Track Championships
Sam Fisher enjoyed a dream day with victories in the team pursuit and scratch race
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'I'm in shock' - 16-year-old school student wins medal at British Track Championships
A-Level student Henry Hobbs rode a blistering kilometre time trial to earn a spot on the podium
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Olympic hopeful Will Perrett dazzles at British Track Championships
27-year-old gains three laps to win points race in style, on a night when para-cycling national records tumbled
By Tom Davidson Published
-
‘I was expecting to be 7th or 8th’ - retired pro takes shock victory at British Track Championships
Pete Mitchell soared to a national title on his racing comeback
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Great Britain collect best ever medal tally at ‘fantastic’ European Track Championships
Performance director Stephen Park hails squad after claiming 14 medals
By Tom Davidson Published
-
GB claim team pursuit gold at the European Championships in important Olympics scrap
Men’s quartet move closer to Paris qualification with victory over Denmark
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Katie Archibald clinches Track Champions League title in London
Brits in form on final weekend as Archibald, Dylan Bibic, Harrie Lavreysen and Ellesse Andrews win overall leagues
By Tom Davidson Published