SA cyclist Ella Sibley is new junior world title holder after claiming gold in Germany
A young, SA cyclist powered through to the finish line in Germany last month to become the new junior world title holder.
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Three years ago Ella Sibley took a punt to see if she had any potential in cycling when a talent identification program visited her school, Marymount College.
The SA Sports Institute-run program was looking for that next potential champion and invited Ella in for more testing, which led to a place in the elite program.
Now, the Sacred Heart College Year 12 student has a world junior cycling title under her belt.
Urged on by a vocal crowd, Ella gave her rivals plenty to chase as she won gold in the scratch race at the International Cycling Union World Junior Track Cycling Championship in Frankfurt, Germany, late last month.
The victory came four months after she claimed the under-19 champion of champions jersey at the national track cycling championships in Brisbane.
It was a meeting of firsts for the rising star – her first overseas competition, first race on the program and, more importantly, snaring Australia’s first and only gold medal of the titles.
Ella, 17, of Hallett Cove, held off a solid challenge from Chilean Catalina Soto Campos and Ella Barnwell, from Great Britain, in the 7.5km event.
She also won silver in the keirin, the final event on the program, while Carlos Carisimo, the other SASI athlete on the team, won silver in the men’s team sprint.
Ella cannot believe her success.
“I still don’t believe I was able to win gold,” the Edwardstown-based South Coast Cycling Club member says.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting to win any medal and, before the event, I didn’t look at the opposition.
“It was my first time competing overseas, so that was special.
“I had my parents Trudy and Andrew there, my brother Jake and sister Tayla.
“Standing on the podium was very exciting. I think my teammates were a bit shocked and so was I, but everyone was cheering.
“It was great.”
Ella is now having a short break and aims to catch up on school work.
She will then return to the training track to prepare for the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in New Zealand in October.
SASI coach Brett Aitken, who has just returned to Australia after attending an elite coaching course in Switzerland, praised the SA pair’s performance.
He says Ella showed grit in her keirin semi-final after picking up a stomach bug.
“She did very well and while seniors is a big step up from the under-19s, it is still a very good achievement,” Aitken says.
