Field of dreams

By Jarrod Potter
COURTNEY Field scorched the velodrome this week, winning three events at the Victorian Junior Track Championships.
Field, 14, from Berwick, won the JW17 sprint classification, scratch final and the 500m at the DISC Velodrome in Darebin on Sunday.
Field was pleased to win the events, but didn’t think she was going to sweep all three.
“I did quite well in the championships,” Field said. “I won the scratch race, the 500m and the sprint.
“Winning the sprint was my favourite.
“It’s the event I most trained for and at nationals I’ve won that race two years running.”
The sprint didn’t work out as planned for Field, as she fell out of the blocks just prior to the race.
“My qualifying time was really good, but before the start I fell out of the gate and punctured my wheel because I didn’t put my bike in properly.
“I hit the ground pretty hard, so that was a bit worrying.
All I could think about was trying not to fall out again.”
The heat on Sunday night turned the scratch race from a 28-lap race to only 15, but Field was able to leave all comers in her wake as she flew ahead to win.
“I was on the front coming into the last lap and you want to be around the top three and I ended up being on the front,” Field said.
“There were a few people who were really around me when I was about to sprint.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d beat them. I’d had just done the sprints all day and they hadn’t so I was coming in pretty exhausted.
“It was pretty good to get that win.
“I was happy the day was over and done with and all the pressure was off from there.”
Field’s next big challenge is the junior national championships, held in March, which she believes she can win if she’s lucky.
“Not quite sure if I can win these three again but hopefully I can win the sprint and win the 500m, but that’s only if I get really lucky and train hard for it,” Field said.
Field heads to Shepparton this weekend for the Victorian Omnium Championships.