The NSW Masters Road Championships attracts the who’s who of racing, and two of Young’s top cyclists will be among those big names.
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Darren Russell and Kevin Goodman will head to Griffith tomorrow for the championships which attract over 300 competitors from around Australia.
What makes this even more impressive is the fact that Russell was once told he would never be able to ride a bike again.
At age 13 Russell trained under the guidance of an olympic coach in Sydney until he moved overseas to race in the United States for the Eveready Battery team.
A short time later, aged 21, he headed to Italy to compete in the world titles and it was here his sporting career came to a crashing halt when he was side-swiped by a French tourist.
Russell was left paralysed from the neck-down for six hours and from the waist down for six weeks.
He was transferred to the Royal North Shore Hospital Spinal Unit in Australia before spending another three weeks in the Young Hospital.
“They told me I’d be lucky to walk and would never ride a bike again. I was shocked and daunted. I thought it was a dream - this can’t be happening,” he said.
After 12 months of rehabilitation Russell proved medical professionals wrong, and got back on the bike only to place fifth in the Australian Professional Under 23 Road Title.
When he was 23, Russell continued to suffer lower back spasms and decided to hang up his bike for good.
“I got right away from it, never followed it and at the age of 46 I had a brain explosion and got back into it,” he said.
Goodman also raced competitively between 1978-82 before pushing his bike aside to make way for everyday life.
It wasn’t until 2009 at age 54 he decided to get back in the saddle.
What started as a social outing with the town’s cycling group turned into a 2012 Australian Time Trial Title and a gold medal for the 2013 NSW Time Trial.
“It’s always been a passion - it’s competitive and addictive - the thrill of it is being competitive and racing,” Goodman said.
The duo will enter separate categories at the championships, with Russell in the Masters 5 (50-55 years) category, and Goodman in the Masters 7 (60-65) category.
Russell, racing for team Turbo Studios/Brave Hearts, will compete in two events over the three days - the Criterium (one hour) and the Road Race (95kms).
Goodman, however, will compete in all three - the Road Race (20kms), the Criterium (one hour) and the Time Trial (20kms).
The pair have high expectations of themselves and have been training up to 15 hours - 500kms - a week to prepare.
“My aim is to finish in the top seven - in my age group there’s one guy that’s exceptional, he came second in World Masters last year,” Russell said.
And for Goodman? He wants the podium.
“I definitely want to get on the podium in my division, that’s the plan anyway,” he said.
If successful, the pair will progress onto the Australian Masters Championships to be held in Queensland in late September.
The NSW Masters Championships will be good preparation for Goodman who will be heading to Denmark later in the year to compete in the World Championships.
