Darling Downs cyclists win big at championships

Darling Downs cyclists claim medals at Australian championships

MEDAL WINNERS: Track cyclists (from left) Declan Trezise, Megan Stevens and Emma Stevens returned from recent national championships with several medals to their names. Picture: Nev Madsen

CYCLING: The Darling Downs cycling fraternity is proving it can match it with Australia's best.

Competing at Australian Masters and Junior championships - several cyclists returned home with medals in hand.

Megan Stevens brought home four medals from the master championships.

"Racing on the boards is a challenge when you train on concrete velodromes all year,” she said.

"But the atmosphere is great and I love competing.”

Stevens rated her silver time trial as a favourite achievement at the championships.

"There is so much room for improvement in the time trial,” she said.

"It's not just about how fit and fast you are - there are a lot of technical elements you can work on improve.”

Daughter Emma Stevens shares a similar outlook.

"This was my second year at the junior championships,” Emma said.

"I was a lot quicker, got a few personal best times and my first medal.

"I've been training very hard so it's good to see all that work pay off.”

With few opportunities to train alongside his teammates Declan Trezise said he would savour his medal.

"Our preparation for the championships wasn't the best,” Trezise said.

"Because we were from all over the state we didn't have much time to train together.

"Victoria set a new national team pursuit record in the final when they beat us though.

"So when you think about it silver is pretty good.”

Trezise and Emma Stevens were unlucky not to return with more medals are finishing fourth in two events.

Trezise was narrowly beaten in the scratch race final while Stevens finished fourth in the sprints.

Dalby's Dean Russell also won several medals at the masters championships.

Medal winners

Masters athletes

Dean Russell: Silver individual pursuit, silver points race, silver team pursuit.

Megan Stevens: Silver 500m time trial, silver team sprint, bronze sprint, bronze team pursuit

Junior athletes

Emma Stevens: Bronze 500m time trial.

Declan Trezise: Silver team pursuit

Originally published as Darling Downs cyclists win big at championships