JACK Opperman has proved he is on the pace at the Australian Junior Track Cycling Nationals in Melbourne after returning with two bronze medallions around his neck last week.
Opperman – who resided in Mount Gambier before recently moving to Adelaide to better his chances of advancing in track cycling – was pleased with his results, which included a third in both the Junior Men 17 sprint final and team sprint at the four-day competition.
The hard work is paying dividends for the 15-year-old, who proved he is pushing the best cyclists in Australia.
Leading up to the national’s, Opperman trained six days of the week, both on the road and track.
“My coach James Glasspool was very adaptable as I trained and lived in Mount Gambier for majority of the training program,” he said.
“I have now moved to Adelaide to access training on the indoor velodrome, which has been great.
“We trained at the Superdome on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays.”
Opperman said he went into the national’s with the aim of achieving personal bests.
However, he was “stoked” to get two national medals.
“I got my first bronze in the sprint event,” he said.
“We all had to complete a 200m sprint to qualify in a time of 11.49 and I was fifth fastest.
“They then ranked us and we had to ride off.
“I got to the final four and lost to the fastest rider riding off for bronze.
“I won the first heat, then the second I was relegated due to a technical error and won the last heat.
“The second bronze was in the team sprint where we raced Victoria in the final and won by 0.51 seconds.
“I rode with Declan Key and Jaden Rollinson – the two other sprinters.”
Opperman has been riding track since he was just six years old and will continue to focus on improving.
“I will keep training on the track now that I am here in Adelaide,” he said.
“I will do some road races, but focus my attention on the track again later this year.
“It has been a challenge to move to the city, but I know that it is for the best.
“It is great that I can train and compete with the other SA cyclists and make use of the indoor velodrome at any time.”
