Five WAIS Cyclists Named in National Squad for World Champs

The Western Australian Institute of Sport has had five athletes named in Cycling Australia’s squad of 17 for next month’s UCI Track Cycling World Championships after a series of outstanding results at the start of 2009.

WAIS riders Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer, Scott Sunderland, Josie Tomic and Sarah Kent have all been named in the Toshiba Cyclones squad which will join together for a national training camp in Adelaide ahead of the March 25-29 Championships to be held Pruszkow, Poland.

WAIS Head Cycling Coach Darryl Benson was thrilled to see almost one third of the national team being selected from Western Australia.

“It’s very pleasing to have five riders selected for the senior Worlds squad,” said Benson. “It’s what we were aiming for after strong results at the National Championships recently.”

Those strong results included national records in both the men’s and women’s teams pursuit with the Meyer brothers helping WA to a milestone whilst Tomic and Kent teamed with Australian junior Mel Hoskins to post a time that would have medalled at last year’s World Championships.

Tomic and Kent will complete track training in Perth this Friday before heading to Adelaide to meet with the rest of the squad for training and trials before the final squad is announced.

WAIS has now had eight athletes named in representative squads in 2009 after Luke Durbridge, Michaela Anderson and Hoskins were last week named for the August Junior Track World Championships in Russia.

“To have five senior and three junior U19 athletes from the WAIS Cycling Program selected for World Track Championships in 2009 is very pleasing,” said Benson. “They are all very hungry for success and it is full credit to them as they take the next step in their cycling careers.”