TYLER Puzicha admits it feels pretty good to say she is "like the main sprinter for New South Wales" when it comes to under 17 women's track events.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Given what the Bathurst cyclist and Western Region Academy of Sport squad member did at Dunc Gray Velodrome at the NSW Under 15 and Under 17 Track Championships, the mantle of main sprinter is certainly one she deserves.
Over the three days of competition last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Puzicha claimed three gold medals. They all came in sprint events.
She won the 500 metres individual time trial, the 1,500m keirin and the sprint crown. Given they were events that Puzicha and her coaches Vaughn Eather and Gus Dawson had targeted, she was delighted.
"Those three events are my main events because I'm starting to become more of a sprinter and starting to focus on my sprinting a bit more because I enjoy it and I'm pretty good at it," she said.
"So I thought I'd stick with that and all my hard work at training is starting to pay off.
"This year my training has stepped up a lot. I've had to put in another day, so I am riding six days a week ,which is pretty intense, and there are some double days with gym. It's a lot more intense this year, but I'm loving it.
"The group of girls I'm against, it's not easy, you're always having to put in 110 percent effort. But I think that's sometimes what people need, that little bit of a push, to make you ride harder."
Puzicha won the individual pursuit on the opening day of the titles, beating out Illawarra's Sarah Cliff by 2.33 seconds in the battle for gold.
"I was pretty surprised by my 500 time if I'm being honest, because I didn't think I was going to go that fast," she said.
"I was pretty happy with it once I finished the race and looked up the scoreboard. My legs were very sore and like they'd been a bit over-run, but sometimes that is a good feeling."
The following day it was the six-lap keirin in which the talented teenager proved her sprinting credentials, claiming her second gold of the state titles.
"It was fairly comfortable, but thinking about what is happening in a race during the race is still a hard thing to do. Personally, I think I pulled it off as best as I could," she said.
"If you're not sure what you're doing in a race like that, you're going to struggle a little bit. But my coaches have given me a good idea of how to ride."
On Sunday Puzicha made it a treble as she won the sprint crown. The final saw her battling Lidcombe-Auburn's Keira Will over three rounds of 200m. The WRAS rider won them all.
Though Puzicha's effort was a standout, Bathurst's other WRAS squad members impressed as well.
In the junior women's 15s division, Ebony Robinson claimed silver in the individual time trial, individual pursuit, scratch race and sprint behind Central Coast star Liliya Tatarinoff.
Robinson also claimed a bronze in the keirin and placed fourth in the points race.
Junior men's under 15s rider Cadel Lovett tackled a huge program over the three days, his highlight being a silver in the five kilometre scratch race.
That added to bronze medal rides in individual pursuit and sprint plus fourth in the individual time trial, keirin and points race.
Luke Tuckwell raced in the junior men's 17 division, his best result being bronze in the points race. He was also a solid fourth in the scratch and keirin.
"The whole of WRAS rode very well at state, I'm really proud of them all. They've ridden the best I've ever seen them ride," Puzicha said.
"It's a positive for them and a positive for WRAS. The Bathurst kids all rode really well - everybody is improving all the time which is so good to see."
The next assignment for Puzicha is likely to be the national track titles which commence on March 18 at Brisbane's Anna Meares Velodrome.
"It's a lovely track, I love racing up there," she said.
