Nelson cyclists set sight on Olympic glory in Paris

Nelson’s newest crop of Olympic hopefuls aren’t just in it for the experience.

With three cyclists—Keegan Hornblow, Shaane Fulton, and Niamh Fisher-Black—on the New Zealand team heading to Paris, expectations of returning with medals are high.

Additionally, Finn Fisher-Black and George Bennett have been named as the country’s two road race reserves, underscoring the strong local influence on the squad.

Keegan and Shaane, both track cyclists who also share a flat in Cambridge, say the local connection was a strong motivator as they raced growing up.

Shaane notes that, although she hasn’t seen Niamh, who is on the road cycling team, in several years, it will be a special moment when they all come together at the Games.

“We all grew up and raced for years together,” she says.

“I think that’s the really special part of it. We made do with what we had. There were times when we couldn’t use Trafalgar Park and had to travel to Blenheim.

“I’d be half the human [I am today] if I didn’t do that hard work.”

Keegan recalls many cold evenings riding loops around the Saxton Velodrome and early mornings with Tasman Performance.

“Initially, it was a bit of a coincidence, but it’s nice to have people you grew through the journey with,” he says about being named alongside his former Nelson friends and rivals.

While both acknowledged that there’s too many people to thank, Keegan wanted to give mention to Jason Craig as one of his first coaches.

Shaane had a laundry list of people to thank that “could fill up a whole paper”, with Jim Matthews and the two local clubs, Cycling Nelson and the Tasman Wheelers, at the top of the list.

She also wanted to give credit to her parents, Karen and Dean, who are both pro cyclists in past lives themselves.

“I just got put to the sword growing up,” she laughs.

“I remember my first race I did when I was four at Trafalgar Park.”

Shaane has dreamed of being an Olympic cyclist since primary school, and sharing this experience with the friends she grew up racing alongside is the cherry on top.

Keegan’s pathway to cycling took a bit longer. “Where it all kind of stemmed from was getting selected to the Junior Worlds in 2019 when I was a Year 13. It wasn’t until I got to high school [at Nelson College] that I soon realised I wasn’t a rugby player.”

With the Olympics kicking off at the end of July, the local riders have mere weeks before their debut on the sport’s biggest stage.

Despite the global spotlight, they remain grounded and appreciative of their roots.

“It’s an absolute privilege to call Nelson home,” says Shaane.

“Hopefully [our success], it can spark something again for the next generation.”