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Matthew Formston
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Matthew Formston OAM (born 21 July 1978) is a legally blind Australian Professional Para Surfer and former professional Para Cyclist.[2] Formston won gold and silver medals at the 2014 and 2015 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships and represented Australia with pilot Nick Yallouris, at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.[2] Formston also holds three consecutive world titles for Surfing (2017, 2018 and 2020) at the ISA Para Surfing World Championships[3] (VI Division) as the 2016 to 2019 Australian Champion, 2018 and 2019 US Adaptive Open (Gold) and 2017, 2018, 2019 Dukes Ocean Fest Hawaii Gold medalist.[4]
Key Information
Personal
[edit]Formston was born on 21 July 1978 in Sydney, New South Wales. At the age of five, Formston was diagnosed with Macular Dystrophy eventually reducing his sight to 0% central vision and 3% peripheral vision.[5] He is legally blind. With a Diploma of Health Science[1] and extensive business and competitive sport experience, Formston holds a national executive role as Head of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.[6]
Career
[edit]Competitive sports
[edit]Formston's cycling career began in 2009 while on a charity ride for the Macular Disease Foundation.[7] The ride took Formston from Sydney to Melbourne and he successfully completed it on a single bike. In 2012, Formston was named the Central Coast Cyclist of the Year.[1] Formston originally rode competitively with Phillip Thuaux in 2010 before pairing with Mick Curran in 2012 as a tandem partner and the pair were known as OzTandem.[8] Curran, a fully sighted competitor, held the role of pilot for the duo. They went on to win gold in both track and road cycling on most continents around the globe and amassed 12 Australian National Titles between 2012 and 2016.[9]
At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Formston's new cycling pilot was Nick Yallouris from Chittaway Point, New South Wales eventually announcing his retirement from competitive cycling the same year.[2]
As a professional surfer, Formston is the current Para Surfing World Champion, winning the 2017, 2018 and 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championships (VI Division).[10] He won the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Australian Championships as well as the 2018 and 2020 US Adaptive Open (Gold).[11] In addition, Formston achieved the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Dukes Ocean Fest Hawaii (Gold).[4]
Recognition
[edit]- 2012 – Central Coast Cyclist of the Year[12]
- 2025 – appointed member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours for "significant service to people with disability, and to para sports"[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Cycling Australia > High Performance > Rider Profiles > Male > Matthew Formston". 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ a b c "Matt Formston - Paralympics Australia". Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Team Australia's Bloom and Formston Claim Gold Medals at the 2018 Stance ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship presented by the City of San Diego". www.surfingaustralia.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Stewart And Formston Win Gold At Duke's OceanFest". www.surfingaustralia.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[dead link]
- ^ "Website".
- ^ "From blind cycling to surfing, meet Matt Formston". www.optus.com.au. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ Duncan, Jeanene (26 August 2016). "Matt hops on his bike for Rio's games|photos". Great Lakes Advocate. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Oz Tandem:The Most Inspirational Cycling Team You'll Ever Meet". BetaView. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "News - Blind Sports NSW - revolutioniseSPORT". www.blindsportsnsw.com.au. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Aussie Pair Formston & Bloom Win Gold At 2020 AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championship". www.surfingaustralia.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[dead link]
- ^ "Results – US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships.s". Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Rider Profiles". Cycling Australia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ "Mr Matthew Grant FORMSTON". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
