Richard’s performance director Nicola Phillips awarded OBE
Richard’s performance director, physiotherapist and friend Professor Nicola Phillips has been honoured in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list with an OBE.
Nicola, or the ‘Pocket Rocket’ as Richard likes to refer to her as, has been an integral part of Richard’s career and development from professional rugby player to extreme athlete. Nic has worked alongside Richard on all of his world-leading expeditions.
Nic in her tent at Everest Base Camp in 2016.
Happy and proud from his tent in Antarctica, Richard stated: “Nic is an inspiration to me and to so many others. The thing that I admire most about Nic is the way she operates, being excellent without the pomp and ceremony”. He added: “She is an inspirational leader without the ego. A role model to women and men alike. A pioneer. Authentically putting the team and collective goal ahead of herself”.
Nic was the Chef de Mission of Team Wales' most successful Commonwealth Games campaign on Australia's Gold Coast in April. Richard added: “It takes a special person to achieve what Nic did as Chef de Mission of Team Wales at the Gold Coast. She created the environment and leadership in a team, who were against the odds at times, and enabled so many Welsh athletes to achieve personal bests”.
He added: “Her legacy has been creating more positive experiences for more athletes and staff, which will impact further than the record high number of medals won. This comes as no surprise to those who really know her, Nic has been knocking walls down and breaking ceilings for a long time now. The Australia games are just one entry in a long and impressive CV!”
Richard & Nic at the finish line of the Yak Attack - the highest mountain bike race on earth.
Nicola will be celebrating her OBE honour with a glass of bubbly today with friends at her home in Bridgend, Wales.
She stated: “I’m obviously really proud to be awarded an OBE. The really humbling thing to know is that colleagues have taken the time and effort to nominate me”. She added: “I am very fortunate to work in a profession that I am passionate about. Physiotherapists strive to help people get active and stay active, whether that’s to get off the sofa, compete on a world stage or attempt amazing feats like Richard is doing in Antarctica right now”.
In typical Nic selfless style, on twitter this morning she commended other physios for their work, “It’s wonderful to see physios getting recognised for their work with athletes of all abilities, I’m just one of an army of them, so hats off to all physios who stand on touch lines every week or work hard to help people return to sport”.
Richard added: “There is a price that Nic has paid for her selfless leadership throughout her career and at times her impact has been underestimated”. I know Nic would rather avoid the fuss, but that’s exactly why Nic’s recognition is so wonderful. The fact that her nomination originated from her peers in the physiotherapy community will undoubtedly be extra special to her”.
Richard and Nic have been working together since the year 2000 when Richard was playing rugby for Pontypridd. Their partnership has aided Richard to perform in some of world’s most extreme environments and challenges, from the 737 Challenge, to his solo Antarctica British speed record, from the longest off road cycle race in the world, to the highest, Nic has always been there to prepare Rich, and quite often, patch him up.
Nic’s influence is currently live in effect in Richard’s latest world-leading expedition, where he aims to ski, solo, unsupported and unassisted from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole in record time; “As you’ll know, Nic is my performance director on the Team Quest project”, added Rich. “We have worked together for almost two decades now, all over the world from Ponty to Everest! I’m so happy for Nic and proud of my mate the Pocket Rocket! I couldn’t think of a person more deserving”.
