Tim Decker
Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (09:46): It is my pleasure to inform the house of an extraordinary achievement by a much-loved member of Bendigo’s extended cycling community, Tim Decker. Tim coached the Australian men’s team pursuit foursome to gold at the recent Paris Olympics. The riders were Sam Welsford, Kelland O’Brien, Conor Leahy and Oliver Bleddyn. This was Australia’s first gold in the event since Athens 2004. It was a major triumph for Tim and his team, who faced some serious hurdles in their journey to gold. In fact the Bendigo Advertiser recently reported that Tim’s journey to Olympic glory over the past five years had as many twists and turns as a Hollywood thriller. The Australian team was heartbroken in Tokyo 2021 when rider Alex Porter’s handlebars snapped right off and the team lost all hope of riding for a gold medal. Welsford and O’Brien were members of the team that night in Tokyo, so the gold medal in Paris was an even sweeter achievement. Tim Decker moved to Bendigo at 21 to pursue his dream of a career in cycling before moving into coaching. Tim required brain surgery in 2019 following a group riding accident and then suffered the Olympic disaster in Tokyo. He took on the head coaching role of the Chinese national cycling program in 2022 before returning to coach in Australia last year. Tim is still an active member of the Bendigo and District Cycling Club. The club and the Bendigo community are understandably thrilled for him, and his persistence has made Australia proud. Congratulations, Tim Decker.