Team GB stars reveal arena’s role in Olympics success

Members of the Team GB track cycling team have revealed the key role the velodrome at Derby Arena played in their success at this summer’s Paris Olympics.

At the Games, Team GB once again proved their dominance on the world stage by securing an astonishing eight medals in track cycling.

This remarkable achievement has roots that trace back to Derby Arena.

The arena has a state-of-the-art velodrome, which has been integral to the success of several Team GB cyclists, including some of this year’s Olympic medallists.

Cameron Meyer, women’s endurance podium coach for the Great Britain Cycling Team and nine-time World Champion, said: “Our preparation for the Paris Olympics using the Derby Velodrome was fantastic.

“It’s a world-class facility and allowed our riders to train specifically, at the correct speeds for their events.”

Team GB’s track cyclists secured one gold, three silver and four bronze medals at the Paris Games.

Among the standout performances were Sophie Capewell and Ed Lowe, who have trained at Derby Arena.

Ed used to be a regular on Derby Arena’s SQT (Structured Quality Training) sessions – and now he’s an Olympic men’s team sprint silver medallist.

Sophie’s mum Debbie is a track cycling coach at Derby Arena, teaching her daughter when she was young, giving her the inspiration to go and win gold in the women’s team sprint and achieve a new World Record in the process.

Dan Bigham, who won silver at this summer’s Games, said: “Having spent my formative years on the illustrious boards of the ‘Derbados Superdrome’, it was a highlight of my Olympic preparation to return back ‘home’.

“Thank you to everyone at Derby Arena for supporting us in such a critical phase of preparation.”

Josie Knight, who picked up a bronze in Paris, said: “It was really fantastic to be able to use Derby Arena in our lead up to Paris.

“Having the full velodrome to ourselves meant we didn’t have to worry about timings and sharing with other squads, which allowed us to fully focus on our efforts and get the best out of ourselves.”

People are now being invited to follow in the footsteps of these Olympic heroes by having a go at track cycling at Derby Arena.

From taster sessions for new riders to coached group sessions for the elite, the arena welcomes cyclists of all abilities.

For more information visit https://www.derbyarena.co.uk/ .