By JARROD POTTER
IN A year already studded with success, Berwick cyclist Alana Field saved her greatest 2014 accolade for last.
Field, 14, was named the Cycling Victoria Victorian Junior Female Athlete of the Year at a ceremony held at Federation Square on Thursday.
With a list of accomplishments as long as her Felt bicycle or some of her impressive breakaways on the road, Field was humbled to receive the major award to highlight a sensational year on the track, road and hill climbing disciplines.
“So amazing – I didn’t expect to win it at the start of the year, but how hard you work is what you get,” Field said.
She earned herself national championships on the road – criterium and road race – in September up in Toowoomba and track national success in February at Sydney’s Dunc Gray Velodrome. To cap it off, she’s also a multiple-state champion on the road and the track to make her an extremely deserving choice for the accolade.
Crowning off her triple treat accomplishment, Field burst free of the peloton in the 2014 Cycling Australia Junior Mountain Climb Championships to storm up Mt Buffalo and take out the title.
“I think everything all together- being able to take out medals on track, road and the hill climb means a lot to me as it means I’m an all-rounder, so I’m pretty proud of that,” Field said.
“It’s pretty hard (to train for all disciplines), but Hilton Clarke, my coach, helps me a lot through it and gets me prepared for nationals every time.”
Recent success earned her gold medals at the Victorian Track Championships in the sprint, keirin and 500m time trial at the under-17 level where she has stepped up to the bigger gears to compete with the older athletes.
Her next challenge is the Australian National Track Championships held in Melbourne later this month where Field hopes to earn a medal in the 500m.
She wanted to thank her family, her coach Hilton Clarke and sponsor Felt Bicycles for their support.
