![\"ccs-62657-0-00170200-1459415789.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-00170200-1459415789.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Young Eathan Kulsen was one of the riders to set a new National Record on the second day of competition, winning the under-12 Boys\u2019 1500-metre Individual Pursuit (IP) in a time of 2:25.96 on day two of the 2016 South African Track and Para-cycling Championships at the Westbourne Oval in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday 29 April. Photo credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\nYoung and old have been enjoying the beautiful Port Elizabeth weather on the cycle track, with age groups younger than 10-years-old right up to over 70 years of age competing for the National Championship titles in their respective age groups, over and above the crowd-attracting Elite and Junior groups. Each category is as highly competitive as the next.<\/p>\n
Clover Prestigio\u2019s Charlene du Preez claimed yet another victory at the Championships when she won the Elite Women\u2019s 1500m in 2:01.70. Bernette Beyers (Energas) and Maroesjka Matthee (BestMed ASG) finished in second and third respectively. Jennifer Abbot (Panda) claimed the Junior women\u2019s victory in the 1500m in 2:37.83, with Anja Gerber second and Danielle van Niekerk (VWE Track Academy) third.<\/p>\n
The 1000m Sprint saw Sven van Straaten and Willie Marx in the men\u2019s 60-and-over category dice each other in two heats, with Van Straaten winning both Final Heats over the local cycling Legend Marx.<\/p>\n Young Eathan Kulsen was one of the riders to set a new National Record on the second day of competition, winning the under-12 Boys\u2019 1500-metre Individual Pursuit (IP) in a time of 2:25.96. Kulsen felt exhausted after the strenuous race.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the training that I did was only for that race. I thought it would be hard but it wasn’t that hard although I was still tired after the race. But at the end of the day I was very happy. I didn’t know that I would break the record, so I am very excited about that. I still have the 3K (Scratch Race) and Team Pursuit (TP) to do. I\u2019m still tired after yesterday\u2019s IP race so I\u2019m not sure about the 3K but I\u2019m very excited about the Team Pursuit.\u201d<\/p>\n Young Kulsen loves Port Elizabeth and looks forward to getting to the beach before he heads home with his proud parents, Elrick and Michelle Kulsen. Speaking about his son\u2019s new Record, Elrick said: \u201cIt feels nice, we worked hard for it. He was very committed in his training. I\u2019m surprised that he won by more than two seconds, I thought it would be much closer than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle explained how dedicated Eathan is to his training and was surprised at his performance since the Individual Pursuit is his least favourite race. \u201cHe is a very dedicated young man and he never complains. What surprised me the most is that he was actually going out there to get the race over and done with, and then the record came. We are so extremely proud of him. He trains tremendously hard and the hard work has paid off.\u201d<\/p>\n Elrick was impressed and encouraged by the immense growth in numbers of the young riders at this year\u2019s Track Championships. \u201cI think its great for cycling. Last year, the under-10 age group only had about three riders and the under-12 about three or four. This year, they have 12 riders in the under-14 Boys category only! These riders come from the cycling provinces that are very track committed, like the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Province. So the future looks good for track cycling.\u201d<\/p>\n 2016 SA Track and Para-cycling Championships organiser, Jenny Meyer, also expressed her joy at the increase in entries this year. \u201cWe\u2019ve had an awesome amount of entries this year and it\u2019s all the best track cyclists in the country so it really is a great show of cycling, this is absolutely brilliant!<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of 10-and-under riders taking part, which is so encouraging for the development of track cycling in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2016 SA National Track, Para-cycling and Omnium Championships take place at the Westbourne Cycling Track in Port Elizabeth from Monday 28 March to Sunday 3 April, with the SA Track and Para-cycling Championships running from Monday 28 March to Friday 1 April and the SA Omnium Championships running from Saturday 2 to Sunday 3 April. For more information about the event, click here: http:\/\/www.cyclingsa.com\/2016-sa-track-champs\/<\/a> or contact info@ectrackcycling.co.za. <\/p>\n<\/a>Clover Prestigio\u2019s Charlene du Preez claimed yet another victory at the Championships when she won the Elite Women\u2019s 1500m in 2:01.70 on day two of the 2016 South African Track and Para-cycling Championships at the Westbourne Oval in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday 29 April. Photo credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>The 1000m Sprint saw Sven van Straaten (right) and Willie Marx in the men\u2019s 60-and-over category dice each other in two heats, with Van Straaten winning both Final Heats over the local cycling Legend Marx on day two of the 2016 South African Track and Para-cycling Championships at the Westbourne Oval in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday 29 April. Photo credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Jean Smith (left) beat his teammate Peter Lambert (Team Energas) in the Elite Men Sprint Quarter Final on day two of the 2016 South African Track and Para-cycling Championships at the Westbourne Oval in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday 29 April. Photo credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>London 2012 Olympian Bernard Esterhuizen (front – Team Giant) was the quicker rider against Timothy Cock (Just Cycles) in the Elite Men Sprint Quarter Final on day two of the 2016 South African Track and Para-cycling Championships at the Westbourne Oval in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday 29 April. Photo credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\n