Amelia Sykes, Competitive Cyclist

Amelia is pictured with Sumner Ferrymead Foundation trustee John Christensen, on the left, and former Chair John Taylor.

Amelia Sykes, from Sumner, was the fastest national track-cycling rider for her age when the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation presented her with a grant to help purchase expensive cycle equipment necessary for her to compete at the highest level.

Having broken both a national individual-pursuit record and a national team-sprint record in the first half of 2019, her sights were clearly set on a podium finish in July at the National Cycling NZ Track Series at The Cambridge Velodrome.

But Amelia had bigger dreams: to represent NZ at the Junior World Champs and the Commonwealth Games, and to race at the 2024 Olympics. John Christensen, a trustee of the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation and an Olympic gold medallist himself (hockey), was there to present her with the grant towards her new disc wheels.

Fast forward six months…With the support and following of her family, her coach Elyse Fraser, and locals, and after relentless training hours and kilometres on her bike, we can now celebrate another achievement. "The Sumner Ferrymead Foundations donation towards my new disc wheels has been huge and contributed to my selection for the Cycling NZ development squad for the 2021 Junior World Championships" said Amelia.

Amelia is now one step closer to realising one of her dreams. Congratulations!