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Neil’s triple success

Simon Smedley
29/ 9/2004

Cycling

HAZEL Grove cycling hero Neil Potter was in amazing form when he won no less than three gold medals at the recent UCI World Masters track championships at the Manchester Velodrome.

Potter, who turned 35 this year, kicked off by triumphing in the men's 35-39 1km time trial with a time of 1min, 6.561secs. Hot in pursuit was Kenny Williams of the USA who achieved the silver medal with a time of 1:06.981.

The bronze medal went to Koichi Mizusawa of Japan, who completed the distance in 1:08.069 minutes.

The men's 35-39 sprint was then won by Potter when he crossed the line in 12.180 seconds, just ahead of Kirk Whiteman of the USA who took the silver medal. The bronze medal was won by James Tainter of the USA.

Potter's heroics were then completed as he stormed home as part of Great Britain's three-man sprint team who took the gold medal with a time of 48.363 seconds. The local star's team-mates were Dave LeGrys and Marco Librizzi.

A delighted Potter said: "I restarted track racing after a five-year break and now compete in the Masters Series.

"These were great results for me, and I'd like to thank my coach, Dave LeGrys ( www.mastercoach.co.uk) for all his careful planning and guidance."

Potter has won the National Masters Sprint competition at Herne Hill for the last three years, and added the Kilometre Time Trial to that this year.

His last three seasons have been geared towards competing in the World Masters Championships at Manchester, where in 2003 he won two silver medals (Sprint and Kilo) and a gold (Team Sprint), before last week's successes.

Racing for Potter pretty much finishes at this point, firstly because he needs a rest and secondly because training for sprints and kilometre racing is very difficult in the dark.

Over the winter he'll be planning his 2005 season and will start racing again in April 2005.

There is a series of events called 'Revolutions' at the Manchester Velodrome over winter which Potter would like to ride, but as it's winter training is tough.

Now a technical account manager, Potter was selected to represent Britain at the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990, but a training accident just months before the event meant he had to pull out.