Richard NIZIELSKI

Born in England but with a Polish family background, Richard Nizielski arrived in the unlikely winter sports setting of Perth, Western Australia at the age of three.

Predominantly a 500 m specialist Nizielski set a national record for the event in 1993 which still stands in 2009. His greatest successes came as with the national relay team and was a member of the Australian quartet that became world champions in 1991 in Sydney. After disappointment in 1992 when their chances of an Olympic medal were ruined by a fall the Australians rebounded to win World Championship medals in 1993 and 1994 and a first ever Winter Olympic medal in 1994 and each time Nizielski was a vital member of the team.

He retired after his third Olympic appearance in 1998 and became a fight coordinator in the theatre and television industry. Nizielski is also a qualified golf instructor and has written magazine articles on the biomechanics of the golf swing.