General News
24 August, 2024
Gold medal coach says win belongs to Wimmera
Horsham-raised Tim Decker credits the cycling community in the Wimmera for the Olympic gold medal he helped win as coach of the men's pursuit team in Paris.
Athletes Conor Leahy, Kelland O'Brien, Oliver Bleddyn and Sam Welsford beat Great Britain in the final by 2.32 seconds, the first time Australia had claimed gold in the event in 20 years.
While Decker, 51, praised their dedication and hard work, O'Brien praised the efforts of his Natimuk-born coach.
"We have a great team here but we wouldn’t be anything without our coach Tim Decker," O'Brien said.
"A massive thanks to him and to everyone back home."
Decker said many people from Horsham had guided him over the years.
"Phil Sawyer, for example, and we had a reasonably strong club in both BMX and cycling," Decker said.
"Cycling was actually quite strong back in the 1990s in the Wimmera and in the western wider district."
Decker said his uncle, Gordon Taylor, was among those who influenced his riding, along with Doug Issell, who took him under his wing as an older cyclist.
"When I was a bit younger, the other person to have an impact was Bill Barnett, who was part of Horsham Cycling Club,” Decker said.
“He was of an age at that stage but he used to take the kids for a ride and teach them how to be road safe.
"They were good people who helped juniors back in those days, and that helped with the foundation to want to chase it more."
And he always had his sights set on the biggest prize.
"It was always the Olympics that drove me," he said.
"I never had the physical talent to make it to be an Olympian but I knew I had the coaching mindset and skills."
* Read Tim Decker's full story in this week's edition of Wimmera Mallee Sport, or on the Wimmera Mallee News website at wmnews.com.au