Taupo-nui-a-Tia College cyclist Lewis Eccles has marked himself as an athlete to watch following a strong performance in the under-19 men's division at the UCI Junior World Track Cycling Championships.
At 16 years of age and the youngest member of the New Zealand team, Eccles was the fifth fastest starter at the championships, with a sprint qualifying time 0.1 of a second off the current national record.
The conditions were tough, but Eccles excelled in oppressive 37C heat on track against riders from 35 countries.
The young rider had shared his experiences with fellow members of the school's High Performance Programme and said the overseas experience had spurred him on to represent his country again.
He still has another year in his age group so looms as a real threat for the next track season.
