Fresh from a series of record breaking performances at the Junior Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Mexico, Arielle Greaves is already eyeing her next big international event.
The Trinidad-based rider arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport brimming with confidence and excitement on Monday, after breaking two of her own national records last week, before ending her trip with a commendable fifth-place finish in the keirin final.
During the opening days of the meet, Greaves established new records in the 1km time trial and flying 200m.
Speaking to the media after being greeted by jubilant members of her family, the 18-year-old Greaves described the experience as a good one.
“It was not new to me because obviously we went to Pan Am last year, but it was also a very good experience as well because I got to break my two records.
“I met a lot of new people and really figured out new stuff about myself and equipment that I didn’t know coming up to the event; like for my kilo race, I really found out that the lighter gear was best and that really helped with the breaking of my record from last year,” Greaves said.
The teenage cyclist said both she and her coach Elisha Greene were proud of her achievements in Mexico.
Arielle Greaves (left) and mananger Deidre Hinkson at the Grantley Adams International Airport. (Photo Credit: KH/DH)
“He’s very proud of me, because obviously to go from 11.8 to 11.3 is a very big gap and even to break my kilo record as well. So for now it’s just to push even harder. Up next is CAC and Junior Worlds and hopefully a couple of America Cups in between that,” Greaves said.
However, she admitted that having to train in Trinidad due to the absence of a velodrome in Barbados came with a number of challenges.
“Yeah, it’s a little bit difficult because obviously I’m away from my core support, but it’s just to really dig deep and know that in order to get better I have to really train hard and to get to that point I have to be in Trinidad,” she said.
The talented young rider said her Columbian opponents, who dominated the event, were also a source of inspiration.
“The Colombians, they really go down there and clean up everything so that’s really who I follow and stuff like that, watching their techniques to see if it is possible I can improve or tweak mine,” Greaves said.
While team manager Deidre Hinkson is elated with Greaves’ performances, she said she is focused on ensuring she has the best possible foundation to continually elevate her performance.
“Everybody is in high spirits, and we just have to chart the way forward for her now, because obviously we don’t have a track here in Barbados so she has to train primarily in Trinidad.
“So it’s just to get her race fit and competing at a high level so that she can be even more competitive than she was a couple of days ago,” Hinkson said.
Hinkson also revealed that Greaves’ family is her primary source of funding for her training stint in Trinidad.
“At the moment her parents primarily fund all of her training overseas, so
therefore we will go back to the drawing board now to see what other funding we can give her access to so that she can perform at the highest level,” she said.
(KH)
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