Having grown up in a small mining town it is little wonder Kirsten Dellar feels most at home on the rugged terrain of BMX courses the world over.

After following her friend into the sport at the age of seven, Dellar has never looked back and is now the Australian BMX champion and ready to take on the world at the Youth Olympics.

The Games will throw up a new challenge for the national champion as she prepares to compete in both the time trial and mountain bike, along with her more favoured discipline of BMX.

“Competing across three disciplines will be very interesting. As soon as I found out I started a new training regime, working in the new distances and training up as much I can. It will definitely be challenging but I am looking forward to it,” Dellar said.

With the BMX World Championships held in South Africa at the end of July, Dellar has had an intense preparation to ready herself for Youth Olympic competition.

“South Africa was definitely an eye opener. It was my first time on a supercross track so the thrills and spills were crazy but definitely an excellent experience.”

As the days count down to Singapore 2010, Dellar is confident she can do her country proud when she jumps on her bike at the Youth Olympics.

“I want to bring back gold for Australia (at Singapore 2010). I then want to go on and win gold at the BMX world championships and then go on and win gold at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games,” she said

It has not all been an easy ride for Dellar though, who along the way to national championships has had to deal to with her fair share of injuries.

“Last year I tore ligaments in my shoulder which I then had to have surgery on. I’ve also had broken bones and the usual bumps and bruises which are all just a part of the sport.”

With a bright future ahead in the sport, Dellar has also started to prepare for life outside of competitive cycling.

“I want to keep cycling for as long as my body will let me. After that I want to get a degree in nutrition and stay within the sporting industry.”

Dellar begins her Youth Olympics game campaign on August 17 with the Mountain Bike, with her favoured BMX next up on August 19 before wrapping up competition with the time trial on August 22.

Matt Bartolo

AOC