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Tight-knit competition drives Ankudinoff

 

Tight-knit competition drives Ankudinoff

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AOC
Tight-knit competition drives Ankudinoff

Track cyclist and newly crowned national champion Ashlee Ankudinoff is determined to make her Olympic debut and be on top of the podium at the Rio 2016 Games.

CYCLING: Track cyclist and newly crowned national champion Ashlee Ankudinoff is determined to make her Olympic debut and be on top of the podium at the Rio 2016 Games.

The Sydney-sider defeated defending champion Tasmanian Amy Cure at last month’s National Championships in the individual 3km final.

She said the title win has been a goal of hers for many years.

“To win last week was a very special moment, a feeling of pride that I finally achieved my goal,” she said.

The victory sent a strong message to Rio selectors, after she took control of the race in the second half and held on to victory by 0.8 of a second. 

After starting the sport of triathlon as a child Ankudinoff found she couldn’t juggle the three disciplines with school and decided to give track and road cycling a go.

That decision has proved wise as the 25-year-old chases her Olympic aspirations.

 “It's something I have dreamt about since I went and watched the Sydney 2000 Games,” she said.

After missing out on selection for the London 2012 Games she has dedicated the last few years to ensuring she makes her Olympic debut at the first South American Games.

“I have worked very hard over the last 4 years to make sure I'm on that plane to Rio.

“It will be a big relief but also I will be over the moon to be selected to represent my country.“

But Ankudinoff won’t just be there to make up the numbers and she doesn’t mince words when asked what her Rio goal is.

“A gold medal in the Team pursuit.”

The road to the Games has had its low moments, including missing selection in 2012, but becoming one of the world’s best riders became a reality when she joined  Amy Cure, Annette Edmondson and Melissa Hoskins to claim the Team Pursuit World title at the 2015 UCI Championships in France.

“It was a moment I will never forget, being able to share it with 3 other girls and having my Mum and Dad there was something very special.”

Ankudinoff credited the win to a closeness and off-track connection with her team-mates.

“We had trained so well together and we were rewarded with not only winning the title but breaking the world record by three seconds.

“We trusted each other, respected each other and we knew when we rolled up to the start line that everyone had trained so hard, and we were all, on that day, to ride a great race.”

The next task at hand will be competing at next month’s World Championships, where Australia will be looking to regain the World title.

“World Championships begin in early March so I would say the 2016 World Champions will go into the Olympics with more pressure but hopefully that will be us.”

Ankudinoff said the depth and competitiveness of the women’s endurance squad will put them in strong medal contention at the Rio Games

“It certainly keeps everyone on their toes and it only brings out the best in everyone in training.

“We all have a healthy rivalry and I think that's great and partly to do with why we are successful.

“It’s hard enough just to make the Australian team for World Championships,” she said.

The 20-strong Australian team will take to the track in London from Thursday 3 March to Sunday 6 March. Full details of the 2016 World Championships team can be found here.

Ashleigh Knight
olympics.com.au

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