mmg.com.au

Young Echuca cyclist Charlotte Thompson is protective of her bike.

She keeps it in her room and accuses her brother, Mitchell, of wanting to steal it.

But there is reason behind the madness — Charlotte won a bronze medal with her bike at the Cycling Australia Junior Track National Championships in Adelaide recently.

Held at the Adelaide Super-Drome, Charlotte finished third in the under 15 girls 5km scratch race, almost succeeding in taking out second place in the final circuit of the 20-lap race.

‘‘I wasn’t expecting anywhere near third,’’ the 13-year-old said.

‘‘That day I was feeling really tired and wanting to pull out.

‘‘I had to elbow a few girls to get through in the last lap and I almost got second.’’

The scratch race was the last event at the four-day championships, which finished on March 2.

Charlotte also had good results through the first three days, riding personal best times in the 200m sprints (sixth), 2000m individual pursuit (sixth) and 500m time-trial (eighth) from 19 competitors.

Teams from NSW, ACT, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia competed at the event.

Charlotte took part in the championships after being selected in the Victorian track team, due to her performances at the Victorian Junior Track Championships at Preston in January.

There she collected four silver medals, in the 500m time-trial, 2000m pursuit, sprint (flying 200m) and keirin, while a fifth silver medal was won at the Scott Peoples Foundation Junior Track Carnival at Echuca for the 5km scratch event.

The state and national performances came after a successful National Junior Track Series from October to February, where she finished third overall in the under 15s class.

Charlotte competed in Sydney, Perth, Launceston, Adelaide and Melbourne among about 30 girls.

Her brother, Mitchell, has also been successful at a high level after winning two medals at the Victorian Junior Track Championships in Preston on February 24.

Competing in the under 13s, Mitchell won medals in the 500m individual time-trial and 200m sprint, while he also competed in handicap and scratch races.

Seven Echuca-Moama Cycling Club members attended the event, with under 11 competitor Oscar Jones also winning one silver (scratch race) and two bronze (flying 200m, 500m time-trial) medals.

Up next for the Thompsons is the Echuca-Moama club championships next Friday and then the Deniliquin criterium, while Charlotte is also looking at going to the Central Districts Cycling Club junior tour in Adelaide in April, which is a four-day tour.