By JARROD POTTER
PUMPING the pedals throughout another productive summer, a return to the track has been a major success for Berwick cyclist Alana Field.
Culminating last week at the 2016 Junior Track National Championships, held in Launceston, the 15-year-old brought home another national championship and a couple of silver medals to boot from an impressive campaign in the Victorian colours.
She backed up from the state championships – where she won the Under 17 women’s time trial, sprint and keirin – to make a few podiums at the national level.
Field featured in the gold-medal winning team-pursuit quartet – alongside Alice Culling, Jemma Eastwood and Sarah Gigante – to help Victoria edge out South Australia for the title.
While the win was extraordinary, taking the triumph by 3.43 seconds over the South Australians, Field was even more thrilled to get to stand on the dais alongside an exceptional bunch of Victorian riders.
“It was amazing – it’s my favourite event especially doing it with such amazing girls,” Field said. “It was longer and we hadn’t really tried doing team pursuits on a longer track until we got there.
“I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else … and the Tasmanian track was such a great experience.”
She also notched second place finishes in the JW17 individual sprint, the team-sprint with Jemma Eastwood as well as top-five placings in the time trial and keirin.
Her achievements are impressive enough on their own, despite the fact she’s only just returned from a chronic back injury that forced her off the bike for most of 2015.
“I was really surprised with how I went at nationals after having seven months off the bike in road season,” Field said. “I had a back problem – I went to Rye’s Health Physio and they helped me through the process.
“I think I did much better than I thought I would in every event except one – I was hoping to get a medal in the 500m, but things happen and I just have to keep moving on from there.”
She’s off the bike for now, but it’s an intentional break from the sport as she rests up for road seasons and the chance to claim a few more titles on the open expanses around Wangaratta and Bendigo.
“I’ll let the body rest now – as there’s a small gap between track nationals and Mt Buffalo – so I’ll take a couple of weeks off the bike and then start training again for the first tour and hopefully do well at states in Wangaratta and get to go to road nationals in Bendigo,” Field said. “I’m just really keen for the road season ahead, knowing that I’m coming back to full fitness and it should be a really good season coming up.”
Field wanted to thank her coach Hilton Clarke, FELT Bicycles and SMASH FM for their support.
