Sacrifice For Success

The elite of the new generation of the cycling world assembled at the newly built Chris Hoy Velodrome for the 2013 UCI Junior World Track Championship.

The five day event was a huge success with some enthralling races on show which attracted over 8,500 fans. Not just anyone can say they have represented their country or are world champion in their teenage years and this is what makes these competitors so special.

For most kids, becoming a world champion is nothing more than a dream, emulating their idols’ achievement is something they have hoped to do since watching in awe of them on television. For others, their dream really does become reality. Having talent doesn’t guarantee success but if you combine it with hard work and dedication in equal measure then that is a force to be reckoned with. In order to make the most of your talent in any sport, sacrifices must be made. This is what separates the best from the rest. Their will to succeed at whatever they put their mind to. Balancing their personal life - school, social life and other hobbies - accordingly is what gives them the edge over their rivals. Their bodies are machines that need constant maintenance or their performance will suffer on the track. Strict training regimes replace nights out with friends and a customized diet is swapped for takeaways.

Over 250 riders from 34 countries have devoted their life to succeeding in this sport but only few truly have what it takes. And one of these people is Danielle Khan who performed incredibly at these championships.

She gave an insight on how she got involved in the sport and what commitment it took to get to where she is today: “I used to be a short track speed skater for Great Britain but I switched sport two years ago. This is my second year on British Cycling’s Olympic Development Programme. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices but it’s not just me that’s had to make them - my dad and my family have had to also. I live in Solihull and I’ve had to drive to Manchester three times a week which is two hours either way. So that means my dad has got to take time off work and spends a lot of money on petrol. I’ve had to give up going out with my friends, make sure I get the right amount of sleep and eat well to stay in peak condition but it’s definitely been worth it.”

The London Olympics’ motto was “Inspire A Generation”. Danielle revealed who it was that inspired her and what it feels like to represent your country: “ Pulling on this GB skin suit is such an honour for me. When you watch the likes of Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Becky James and Victoria Pendleton racing against the rest of the world and then it happens to you, it really is something special.” She also gave her thoughts on her tremendous achievements and what the future has in store for her: “I knew I had great form and my training has been going well but nothing’s certain in sport. I still had to go through the processes and just take each race at a time but I can’t believe I’ve came away with two golds and a silver, it’s a dream come true really.” “This is my last year at juniors so I’ll be moving up to the u23 and senior category next year so I want to get a lot better at racing on the international stage. Polishing up on the match sprinting event, the keirin and getting stronger in the gym. Hopefully in the future I can compete in the Commonwealth and Olympic games and in world cups for GB.”

This is the realisation of a dream for one British cyclist. With the legacy of the Olympic Games last summer and the Commonwealth Games soon to be hosted in Glasgow, let’s hope for more kids to be inspired like Danielle was.

By Jordan Campbell Springburn Academy