Richard Beardsell

Richard Beardsell (born 19 January 1979[1]) is an entrepreneur[2][3] and former track and field sprint athlete who competed as a Masters athlete for Great Britain.

Richard Beardsell
Medal record
Athletics
Representing  Great Britain
World Masters Athletics Championships (M35)
Gold medal – first place2014 Budapest400 m
Bronze medal – third place2014 Budapest200 m
Gold medal – first place2015 Lyon200 m
Gold medal – first place2015 Lyon400 m
Gold medal – first place2016 Perth200 m
Gold medal – first place2016 Perth400 m
Gold medal – first place2016 Perth4x100 m
Gold medal – first place2016 Perth4x400 m
European Masters Indoor Athletics Championships (M35)
Gold medal – first place2015 Torun400m
Gold medal – first place2016 Ancona400m
Silver medal – second place2016 Ancona200m

Personal Bests

Event[4] Personal Best
60m 6.96i
100m 10.67
200m 21.47
400m 47.52
800m 1:54.44i

Fraud conviction

In July 2025, Beardsell was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, for fraudulently obtaining two Bounce Back Loans intended for COVID recovery for his company Sports Creative Limited, which he transferred to his personal account and bank accounts of his wife and other family members, using most of the funds to purchase a £1.3 million pound home in Prestbury, Cheshire.[1][5][6] Beardsell, also broke the rules by inflating his company’s turnover and securing two loans, when businesses should have only received one loan.[7] Sports Creative eventually went into liquidation, although Beardsell's other company ShakeSphere, which he had funded using an appearance on the TV show Dragon's Den, was still running successfully.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 World sprint champion sentenced after using Covid loans to help buy £1.3 million home Insolvency Service, Gov.uk - 23 July 2025
  2. 1 2 Dragons’ Den entrepreneur used Covid business loans to buy £1.8m house, Protein bottle shaker founder avoided jail despite £100,000 fraud - Daily Telegraph, 23 July 2025
  3. ↑ Meet Our Founder, Rick Beardsell - ShakeSphere
  4. ↑ "Athlete Profile". thepowerof10.info. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Dragons' Den winner and British world sprinting champion pocketed Covid loans to buy £1.3million mansion - Manchester Evening News, 23 July 2025
  6. ↑ Dragons’ Den athlete sentenced for using Covid loans to buy £1m house - City A.M., 23 July 2025
  7. ↑ Gheorghe, Andreea (23 July 2025). "Athlete sentenced after using Covid loans to help buy house". City AM. Retrieved 24 July 2025.


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