webmaster
© Copyright DEHAI-Eritrea OnLine, 1993-2010
All rights reserved
From: B-Haile (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Tue Nov 16 2010 - 12:59:56 EST
Former World Cycling Centre trainee makes clean sweep in African Continental Championships
Date: 15.11.2010
Three gold medals and a starting slot at the Olympic Games: such was the result for former World Cycling Centre (WCC) trainee Daniel Teklehaimanot at the African Continental Cycling Championships.
The Eritrean athlete's clean sweep at the Continental Championships held in Rwanda at the weekend came just weeks after finishing nine months of intensive training at the WCC in Aigle, Switzerland.
Daniel Teklehaimanot was part of the Eritrean time trial team that claimed victory over South Africa and Ethiopia on the opening day of the championships on November 10th. Two days later, he confirmed his time trialling skills by dominating the individual event, and yesterday (November 14th) the 22-year-old rode to a solo victory in the road race.
WCC coach Michel Thèze originally spotted the athlete's talent at the 2008 edition of the African Continental Championships in Morocco. As a result, Daniel Teklehaimanot joined the centre's training programme in 2009.
His domination of the African Championships this year did not come as a total surprise for the WCC Coach, who was in Rwanda to witness his athlete's victories: "Daniel was tired at the end of the European season, but when I joined him in Rwanda I saw that he was in good shape. I was confident he would do well, but to win everything."
According to Mr Thèze, the Eritrean athlete is a solid all-round athlete with enormous talent. His time at the WCC had helped him work on both his physical condition and agility within the peloton.
Although several professional teams have shown an interest in Daniel Teklehaimanot, his immediate future remains uncertain. However, Michel Thèze is not worried about the talented young cyclist's future: "He has several contacts and even if nothing happens immediately, it will at some stage."
In the meantime, the doors of the WCC remain open to him.
"His next major goal is the 2012 Olympic Games. Whatever happens we will continue to help him with his preparation," says Michel Thèze
UCI Communication Services
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.869 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3260 - Release Date: 11/16/10 08:34:00
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----