BiB's Steve Davies Wins Gold in Sydney

A Darlington cyclist has pedalled to victory winning gold at the 2007 World Masters championships in Australia.

Steve Davies, an account executive at BIB Insurance in Darlington, sprinted to victory in the 2km pursuit race at the Sydney Championships, in a time of two minutes 28.780 seconds at speeds of over 48 kmh, beating 25 other international competitors.

World champion Steve, 55, who also picked up a bronze medal in the 15km points race said: “This was my ninth world masters championships, but it’s the first time I’ve won gold, I was absolutely elated.”

The medals add to Steve’s already impressive tally of three bronze and four silver medals in previous World Masters championships and seventeen gold, sixteen silver and four bronze medals in the British Masters track cycling championships.

Steve, who took up cycling again in 1998 after a 15 year spell out of the saddle, said: “I raced competitively from the age of 23 to my mid 30s but family and work commitments meant I didn’t get enough time to train so I took time out.

“Today with the growing masters’ scene, I get to race against my own age group. BIB Insurance has been really flexible to allow me to train and to compete. I’m a member of the Ferryhill Wheelers and on an average week I do about 200 training miles, but coming up to competitions I concentrate on more short intense rides.”

Steve added: “My next goal is to defend my title in Sydney next year if I can raise the finance as it’s a very expensive hobby and all self funded.

“I’d like to think that my success will inspire more young people to join the sport. Cycling is sport you can have for life and I hope I’ll still be in the saddle for many more years to come.”

Steve has also been short listed by The Northern Echo for the Local Heroes Adult Award for Sporting Excellence 2007 to be held on November 29 at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield.