Matthijs Buchli, son of PA Consulting partner, wins silver at Olympics
Matthijs Büchli, the son of Jaap Büchli, head of PA Consulting’s Dutch business, has won a silver medal for the keirin cycling track event during the Olympic Games in Rio. The gold medal went to Britain’s Jason Kenny and the bronze medal to Malaysia’s Azizulhasni Awang.
The keirin track event involves cyclists riding in an indoor track behind a motorised pacesetter whose speed gradually increases across a number of laps until he departs the stage – contestants must keep up with the pacemaker – following which there is a free sprint to decide the winner.
On Tuesday the men’s keirin finale was raced at the Rio Olympic Velodrome. One of the participants was Matthijs Büchli, a talented Dutch track cyclist who broke through into the top of the sport back in 2002. Since the beginning of his professional career, Büchli has managed to bike his way to several successes, especially in the keirin discipline. He took home bronze metals from the World Championships in 2013 and 2014, and he won a silver medal at the European Championships.
Matthijs Büchli is the son of Jaap Büchli, who serves as Managing Partner and head of the Dutch office of consulting firm PA Consulting Group – where he has worked for over fifteen years. Jaap Büchli provides guidance on PA’s enabled business change services, together with Adam Hughes from the UK, the lead Partner of the firm’s global Agile practice. Earlier In his career Büchli worked at Atos Consulting, latterly as a Senior Manager.
Naturally Jaap Büchli attend the Olympic keirin final, where he, from the stands, witnessed a hectic start to the race. Twice the race needed to be reset, after several riders, including favourite Jason Kenny, passed the derny too early (before it had left the track). Although overtaking normally leads to early disqualification, the jury decided twice to allow the riders to restart.
Third time the charm, and the six riders went to the last in the battle for the medals. Büchli, who was initially far behind, came from behind to, at the final corner, manoeuvre himself between the British Kenny and the Malaysian Awang, and eventually – just behind Kenny – take home silver.
Remarking on his achievement, Büchli says: “I showed that I'm the fastest in the keirin, after Jason Kenny. But coming second to him feels to me like winning.” About the risky final turn, Büchli with a big smile, says, "I decided to put everything on that last corner, it was a kamikaze tactic and very close. It was either land on my face, or a medal. Thankfully it turned out to be a medal.”
