Ella Sibley wins under-19 champion of champions jersey at national track cycling championships
A blood nose while travelling about 40km/h halfway through a 30-lap track cycling race would be enough to throw most people.But not SA’s talented 17-year-old Ella Sibley.
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A blood nose while travelling about 40km/h halfway through a 30-lap track cycling race would be enough to throw most people.
But not Ella Sibley.
The 17-year-old not only powered through to the finish line to win gold in the under-19 7.5km scratch at the national track championships in Brisbane earlier this month with blood over her face and jersey.
She also claimed another gold in the 500m time trial, silver in the madison with Katrina Chung-Orr and bronze in both the keirin and team pursuit.
The Sacred Heart College Year 12 student’s efforts earned her the champion of champions jersey for best under-19 female athlete at the meet.
Sibley recalls having a sniffle in her nose at the halfway mark of the scratch race before wiping it and noticing blood.
She puts the blood nose down to a recovery method between races, where the cyclists swap between two-minute stints in hot and cold baths.
“I was trying not to panic and just focus on the race,” Sibley, of Hallett Cove, says.
“I knew that if I let it get to me I could either cause a crash or ruin my chances in the race.
“I just blocked it out and tried to ride my race.”
Equally impressive was Sibley’s versatility, succeeding in sprint events for a normally endurance-strong athlete.
Sibley, who was talent identified by the SA Institute of Sport four years ago, is surprised at her success.
“Leading in, I thought we had a good chance to medal in the team pursuit but I wasn’t think I would get anywhere near as many medals as I did,” she says.
“I thought I would do all right but not medal or get the champion of champions jersey.
“I was put into two events which I haven’t trained for or meant to ride but just gave it a shot.
Sibley now hopes to gain selection for the junior track cycling world championships in Germany in August.
patrick.keam@news.com.au
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