Shearman hopes to step up to elite level

Manawatu¯ track cyclist Emily Shearman could be riding for the senior New Zealand team next year.

Shearman won a silver medal in the 4000m team pursuit at the junior world championships in Italy in August, having also won a silver medal in the same event the year before in Switzerland.

The 18-year-old Shearman is unlikely to shift to the national track cycling hub at Cambridge next year, but said she was hoping to be selected in the women’s elite development squad.

‘‘I’ve been to a few of the camps and that. I’ve had stuff to do with the coaches. So we’ll see.’’

Between 10 and 12 athletes get carded and Shearman said her chances will depend on who gets carded again.

Shearman must be a good chance after two good years at the junior world championships.

Of this year’s event she said the team was happy because most of them got a medal and everyone did personal bests.

The team pursuit was the big goal in Switzerland after New Zealand had medalled in the event for the past two years.

‘‘We were aiming for under 4 minutes 30 seconds,’’ Shearman said. ’’4.26 was our fastest time, three seconds under the world record. It’s the fastest a New Zealand team has ever gone. Unfortunately we didn’t get the world record because the Italians went faster.’’

Shearman said the Italians were on another level.

She also finished fifth in the two-person madison event with Nicole Shields of Clyde, the first race the pair had done together.

‘‘It was the hardest race I’ve ever done,’’ Shearman said. ‘‘The four teams that all beat us were all European.’’

Shearman had a holiday after the champs and was three weeks through a month off the bike.

Then she will turn her focus to road cycling, with the women’s elite race in Taupo in November and a couple of other road tours, then get back into track next year.

She will continue studying a bachelor of health science at Massey University.

Palmerston North’s Libby Arbuckle also went to the world championships, finished sixth in the junior women’s 5km scratch race and seventh in the omnium.

Arbuckle, who is in her final year at Palmerston North Girls’ High School, will have another year of eligibility. Levin’s Thomas Garbett will also be eligible next year.