BMX - Keen rider aims for the stars

DONALD Ross is setting his sights high. At just 12-years of age, the Whangarei BMX rider still has plenty of track to travel before he reaches senior competition but he is already aiming to compete at the Olympics one day.
"Of course" that is his goal, he tells me, and why not? He has just returned from China, where he attended the BMX World Championships at the beginning of the month. Donald reached the finals of his age-group competition - the highlight of his trip.
The event at Taiyuan was a test event for the BMX component of the Beijing Olympics and Donald attended as part of a 15-strong New Zealand team, which included Kiwi Olympian's Sarah Walker and Marc Willers.
He progressed through the heats to the final of eight riders in the main 20-inch (wheel-size) class and finished sixth. In the other 24-inch or cruiser class he improved one place to finish as the world No. 5.
"The highlight was just making that final, the thrill of getting in was amazing," Donald said.
He exceeded all his hopes he said, just by reaching the semifinals.
"I was just trying to make the semis, so I wasn't really nervous before the finals because I didn't really expect too much from them," he said.
It was a great effort for a first year competitor at the world championships; in one of his heats, beating a former world No. 1 rider. Donald's main competition came from American, Dutch, Chilean, Argentinian and Australian riders. Because he finished in the top eight in his class, he automatically qualifies for next year's world titles in Adelaide, Australia. The relative proximity of the event makes it likely he will attend giving him plenty to work on.
One of the other Kiwis who made his final has been to the last five worlds. "... so now I've got something to aim for because I've automatically qualified for the next worlds in Adelaide," he said.
The trip to China has increased the Year 8 Whangarei Intermediate student's enthusiasm for his sport and just days after his return, he is back training for next year's competitive season.
His father Alan Ross said his enthusiasm for the sport is a little bit scary at times. "He was supposed to take some time off when he got back, but all he wants to do is come down here [to the track] and practise."
Alan said the great performance had been helped by some great coaching by Hamilton's Jason Kelly, and Debbie Mair at Whangarei Aquatic Centre had worked wonders for Donald's conditioning training.
The young rider said he will be watching the Olympics in Beijing in a few weeks with renewed interest after his experience in China, but that won't detract him from his training.
Donald is working on a winter training programme of conditioning, road sprints and track work to get ready for the start of competition in September.
He wants to improve on his New Zealand ranking of No. 3 at the nationals, in Whangarei next Easter.
"I'm really looking forward to the nationals here so I can try and get the No. 1 rank in my age group," he said.