After six years and seven major international competitions, Richard Johnson will step down as the Bermuda team's sports therapist.Since the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Johnson, an ex-vice-president of Bermuda Massage Therapy Association, has been an invaluable member of the Island's backroom team.And as a proud Londoner, he could not have hoped for a better way to bow out than after a truly unforgettable Olympic Games in England's capital.“London's my home so it's a nice way to finish,” said Johnson, who works at The Sports Clinic on Burnaby Street.“It's been a great experience and I've been to places that I never dreamed I would ever go to.“You stay at the Athlete's Village and you're part of the team. It's a special few weeks, a real privilege and an honour. I feel grateful I was given the chance.“But it's time for someone else to do it. There are 20 people members of the Bermuda Massage Association; there are various people who do the same thing.”Johnson's magic healing hands have helped unknot tight muscles and relax Bermuda athletes at two Olympics, Beijing and London; a pair of Commonwealth Games, Melbourne and Delhi, Pan Am Games' in Rio and Guadalajara, Mexico and a CAC Games in Mayaguez, Puerto RicoThe most memorable for Johnson was in Delhi, India; a city he took time to explore after the 2010 Commonwealth Games.“The Commonwealth Games in Delhi was the best for me,” he said. “Everyone said there was going to be problems with dengue fever but it was fine, terrific.“I stayed there for three days after the competition and I wish I'd done that after the Beijing Olympics as you get to see more of the place.”During his time travelling with Bermuda's team, Johnson has got to know each athlete individually and believes in the importance of customising his treatments depending on the needs of the performer.“We're basically here for the athletes. You go to the warm-ups, the training sessions and the events every day you're out here,” he said.“You're up at seven o'clock like all of the athletes. You spend time with them over the years and you get to know them. I also work with a lot of the overseas-based athletes when they're back on the Island.“You know which athletes you need to ask what they want and you know which ones you should leave alone. They all need different kinds of help.”The past fortnight has seen Johnson eat, sleep and breathe sports therapy. Whether working from his designated sports therapy room in Bermuda's townhouse at the Olympic Village or from the venues themselves, there's never a dull moment for Johnson and that's just the way he likes it.“The first thing to do when you get to an Athlete's Village is check the medical facilities,” he said.“There's always a mini-hospital there for the athletes, so there's never any problems.“Then you see the room you're going to work from with the team, making sure you have a table, towel, ice and all the things you are going to need.“I enjoy it when there's a lot to do, you don't want to be sitting around, plus, you get a chance to watch other events as well.”