Cycling with Masters of world
‘‘Be rude not to enter,’’ and today Cambridge’s Tom O’Hanlon is all the richer for competing in the 2017 World Masters Games.
‘‘As soon as the announcement was made New Zealand would host the games, a group of us who are in our 60s said, we would enter,’’ said O’Hanlon.
His friends opted to compete in bowls while he decided to enter a track cycling event and found himself ticking five event boxes.
The cycling events for the World Masters were held at the Avantidrome in Cambridge.
A road cyclist for 30 years, he started cycling to keep his son Nathan company and when work commitments got in the way, O’Hanlon senior continued.
He entered in a number of cycling events including the Round Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge and Rotorua-Taupo 100km Flyer which gave him confidence to take on the World Masters Games.
‘‘Initially I found cycling great stress relief, after 30-minutes on the bike, you forget about life’s problems,’’ he said.
Adapting to track cycling wasn’t so much difficult. He joined the Te Awamutu Cycling Club’s regular training sessions at the Avantidrome on Wednesday nights.
He said he found the other riders’ advice helpful but is full of praise for Cheatley.
‘‘She has always been encouraging, and she has never said anything negative, just encouraging me to do better,’’ he said.
O’Hanlon lined up for the 500 metre time trial and ‘‘was whipped’’.
In his second event, the 10km points race, O’Hanlon was happy finishing 9th. He remains satis- his coach Cath fied with his efforts reflecting on the experience.
‘‘It was always going to be tough when you are competing against cyclists from all over the world, some are champions, but at the end of the day, I am satisfied and richer for the experience,’’ he said.
He now has an appetite to perhaps compete in a similar event again. after