Rebecca’s time arrives
Geelong track cyclist wins silver in Games debut
THE last time Australia hosted a Commonwealth Games in 2006, Rebecca Wiasak was a cadet journalist so envious of the competing athletes she took leave from work to cheer them on in Melbourne.
Last night the Geelong track cyclist completed a stunning rise in her sport by winning a silver medal on Games debut in the women’s 3km individual pursuit.
She broke the Commonwealth record in qualifying and led Scotland’s Katie Archibald early in their final but faded to miss the gold medal by just 1.5secs in a time of 3mins 27secs.
The bronze medal also went to Australia with Annette Edmondson holding off a brave challenge from teammate Ashlee Ankudinoff by 0.1 of a second with the time of 3:30.9.
Wiasak’s story is also one of incredible resilience after she was the last rider in the squad cut for both the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2016 Rio Olympics, despite winning back-to-back IP world titles in 2015 and 2016. And she only made her Games debut at the age of 33 this week.
Having finally made the Australian team for the Gold Coast Games, Wiasak was overlooked for a ride in the team pursuit and watched as her male and female teammates stormed to gold in record time on Thursday night.
But on Friday she got her chance in the individual pursuit and left nothing in the tank.
“It was bitterly disappointing to miss out on the team pursuit but you have to draw strength and inspiration from those rides,” Wiasak said.
“Watching it in bed last night trying to rest up for today, I was so emotional for the girls, you were in tears seeing them on the podium knowing that could have been you.
“But I’ve been in that position so many times — the final rider cut — so when I was just sitting and waiting today to jump up on the track I said to myself ‘you’ve been waiting so long for this moment’.
“I was the last rider cut for Glasgow and the fastest individual pursuiter at that point that season, and the last rider cut for Rio so I had to sit at home and watch as the nontravelling reserve so I know disappointment but it’s continued to drive me and use that fire in the belly to keep me going and get me on this track.”
Wiasak admitted she knew she was up against it in the final and was proud of her efforts.
“I knew it was going to be a tough ask coming up against Katie Archibald, she’s such a classy rider and you’re stoked to make the final and you definitely have to stay confident that I could take it to her in the final.
“I went out hard and I used the crowd’s enthusiasm early on and was a little bit up on schedule, but it probably stung me a bit in the back end.
“But I’m really happy to finish off both my rides really strongly.”
Wiasak was working as a journalist in Canberra when the 2006 Games were on and the significance of her silver medal last night hit home.
“I was writing the 2006 Commonwealth Games guide for the Canberra Times when I was a cadet journalist and I’m here now and about to get a silver medal so I’m thrilled,” she said.
“I’d probably miss the deadline (if I was still writing) because my brain is not working ... I did my best work sometimes when I went to the toilet, the leads or opening par always came to me when I walked away from my desk and went to the toilet.
“I had so many friends and family here tonight, I’ve won two world titles, world cup gold and I’ve never had my family travel to a (major) event so to have them in the crowd tonight was so exciting.”