Pupils hear World Bike Girl’s amazing stories
A Plean woman who turned her life around thanks to her love of cycling paid a visit to Wallace High School.
Ishbel Taromsari – known as `World Bike Girl’ captured the imagination of young enthusiasts with tales of her world travels through countries including Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Bolivia, Turkey, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
The 36-year-old has a British mother and Iranian father and dual citizenship – but says Stirling is where she first fell in love with cycling as a girl.
Before starting to cycle the world around three years ago, she was a velodrome track sprinter for the Iranian Women’s Team and a velodrome sprinter for Glasgow Life and a Scottish Institute of Sport Athlete.
Isbhel talked about how on her travels she adapted her bike, carried her belongings and equipment, and slept in a tent or on a bench.
She also spoke movingly about the street dog she adopted, which sparked global interest, but which later died, and also showed photos from her travels before taking questions from students.
The event was attended by around 30 children from Stirling Triathlon Club, which is for adults and juniors and offers weekly sessions on running, cycling and swimming.
They also hold three tri events - a duathlon (bike and run), triathlon (all three) and aquathlon (swim and run) - each year.
Ishbel’s talk was given after the juniors’7pm-9am swim and run session at Wallace High and a number of parents also attended.
Also at the event which was organised by Alastair Campbell, one of the STC members and a member of the junior committee, were children and parents from Stirling Bike Club Juniors.
Alastair said:“Ishbel has competed at international level but more importantly she is a great advocate of young people being active and developing themselves.
“She is a tremendous role model for young people and demonstrates that with determination and commitment they can achieve their dreams whatever they may be.
“The juniors - and many parents who sneaked in too simply loved the talk. They were both inspired and entertained by her amazing tales of adventure.”
After a difficult spell as a teenager Ishbel found herself in the care system, but before reaching the age of 21 she made the decision to take control of her life and advanced her education.
In the years that followed, she had incredible adventures around the world and became one of the fastest female cycle sprinters in both Scotland and Iran.
Inspired and entertained by amazing adventure tales