Grace grabs gold and targets more glory
A talented young cyclist has done Shropshire proud after helping Great Britain to European Championship glory – setting a new world record in the process.
Grace Lister, from Shrewsbury, enjoyed stunning success in the team pursuit at the European Junior Track Championships in the Netherlands.
The 17-year-old – who trains at Bridgnorth Cycling Club – joined Maddie Leech, Millie Couzens and Zoe Backstedt in the velodrome as they blew away the competition in Apeldoorn.
Lister & Co set a new national record against Germany and then saw off Italy before beating Russia in the final, where they achieved a world record time of 4:21.417.
It was the culmination of months of hard work for the former Bridgnorth Endowed pupil, who now studies sport at Shrewsbury College.
And proud mother Jane Lister said: "For the last 12 months, that's what they've been working towards.
"It was the focus and comes as a result of a lot of hard work.
"We're just very proud of Grace and just pleased she got what she deserves, really.
"It's been a very difficult time because of the pandemic, trying to train.
"It can go wrong on the day and it's an event where you're not that aware of the opposition. You haven't had races prior to it.
"In the final, they beat Russia, who were strong for the first few kilometres.
"They knew they would come at them, but they still had the confidence to win it and also get themselves to record pace.
"And they did it by two-tenths of a second! I think the record had stood for four years, so it was a phenomenal result for them."
Lister took up cycling at 'around six or seven' and started taking it seriously a few years later.
And although she regularly travels across the country and the continent with GB, she regularly joins in with sessions at Bridgnorth Cycling Club, which is home to 140 members and various promising youngsters – Josh Whitehead recently winning the Lancaster Grand Prix.
"She trains with us on a Tuesday and Sunday, whenever she's over," said coach Jason Meyer.
"She's been with us a couple of years now, so it's fantastic.
"She started out in the Wolverhampton Wheelers and then joined us, having done a lot of training with us anyway.
"At the beginning of last year, she joined along with her dad Ian. He comes out with us, too.
"Obviously, with being in the Great Britain team, she's all over the place in various training camps, but she trains with us whenever she can.
"So, we're really happy and proud. It's fantastic."
It has been a top year so far for Lister, having also won medals in an event in Glasgow last month – bronze in the scratch race and silver in the Madison.
She also recently took part in her first elite women's race, the Circle Classic, where she came 12th out of 140 riders – second in terms of juniors – over a distance of 105km.
Lister is now building towards next year's European Championships as well as the World Championships, with her eventual goal being to reach the Olympics.
Her mother Jane added: "Grace is in the GB junior academy for track and endurance, and Bridgnorth Cycling Club have been a big supporter of Grace's, so we're really thankful to them as they've always done great sessions with her.
"Ultimately, the Olympics is the end goal if you stay with the track programme.
"For Grace, at this point, she'll be hoping to repeat her success next year at the Europeans. The Worlds are in Israel next year, so we're hoping that's a possibility, too."
