Millburn Academy pupil one of top Mountain Bike youth athletes in Europe as Inverness teenager puts in superb performance in Sweden
INVERNESS teenager Olivia Poole is riding high as she is among the peak of young mountain bike athletes in Europe.
The 14-year-old, who has won numerous Scottish and British titles in her career, finished in fourth place at the European Youth Mountain Bike Championships in Sweden.
The third year Millburn Academy pupil powered her way to a tremendous performance against top athletes from 28 countries.
Poole says it was the first time that she has competed on the international stage, and was pleased that she did so well on her debut in Europe.
She said: “The European Championship involved four days of back to back racing.
“It involved races such as time trial on the first day, followed by competing in the team relay and short track, where I finished in fifth place and then Cross Country Olympic where I finished in fourth place.
“It my first time competing in an international competition, and I just hoped that I could compete well”.
Poole was selected by Scottish Cycling to compete and she is part of their cycling programme.
She has experienced major success in Scottish and British competitions at youth level, which included the British Cycle Cross Series.
She has been a four-time British champion, two times under-12 Scottish champion and two times under-14 Scottish champion.
She says she has received major backing and support from her family to pursue her mountain biking ambitions, who also encouraged her to take up the sport.
“I started to race when I was six,” said Poole.
“My older brother, who was also a cyclist, but not the same type of cycling as me, went to do a race and my dad entered me to do it as well and I carried on from there.
“I have just done it my whole life and it is something that I just enjoy doing. I have made friends with the boys and girls who also compete and we all get along. We all support each other when we compete.”
Poole has trained with Black Isle Mountain Bike Club and trains on the road and cycle cross in Deeside Thistle Club in Banchory.
Poole is now preparing to compete in the new Cycle Cross season when she will travel across the UK competing in a series of events. She is also planning to compete at a cycle cross event in Belgium.
With the success she has achieved so far, Poole is excited to see how far she can realise her potential and looks forward to future challenges on the saddle.
She said: “I want to keep going in cross country and cycle cross and see where road cycling takes me.”
