Callum’s cycling journey set to continue

Callum Saunders’ path to joining his great grandfather as a New Zealand Olympian was far from smooth.

When the track cyclist ticked off a personal and family milestone in Tokyo earlier this month, he underlined the resilience required to compete at the top level.

In late 2019 the sprint racing specialist stunned a world-class keirin field in Hong Kong, earning recognition as the 2020 Marlborough Sportsperson of the Year.

Then, in early 2020 on-going health issues prompted a medical intervention that punctured his hopes of selection as a starting rider in the NZ cycling crew bound for Tokyo.

He was, however, named as the sprint team’s reserve, content to lend his considerable support to the favoured selections.

Then, as fate would have it, injury to a fellow member of the sprint team saw him called upon, the 25-year-old making his Olympic debut in the team sprint event at the Olympic velodrome and then participating in the keirin, where he reached the quarterfinals.

Callum admits his heart issues, followed by non-selection in the starting sprint team, were blows to his confidence, but he quickly showed the strength of character that has marked his career so far.

“I had an ablation at the start of 2020, where they go in and cauterize some areas of the heart that are causing grief. My heart was going out of synch which led to ridiculously high heart rates with little or no exercise.

“Pretty much the fact I hadn’t ridden a team sprint at World Cup level meant I was not eligible to be picked for the team sprint in Tokyo … and that was what the riders to contest the individual events are chosen from.

“That unfortunately ended my hopes of initial selection [for Tokyo]. Going as a reserve was a mixed bag … particularly off the back of some good results in 2019. It was disappointing not to be able to see it out. However, I processed that and was all on supporting the three guys I was going with to get the best out of them.

“Plus, I needed to get myself into a place where, if I needed to be called up, I would have everything to give,” Callum added.

He likens the mental side of the reserve’s role to that which all the athletes had to deal with pre-Games as speculation mounted whether the global showpiece would even take place.

“The thinking was, if [the Games] don’t go ahead and we have put everything into training for it that will be disappointing, but if they go ahead and we have been complacent in training, thinking they may not proceed, that would be even more heart-breaking, having not given it your all.

“So that was what I ran with … hey, if I don’t get a ride I will be gutted, but if I put everything into it, prepare myself the best I can then get a chance to have a crack, then I will be able to hop off my bike knowing I have done everything I can to get myself in a position to perform.”

The ‘three guys’ Callum referred to were seasoned track specialists Sam Webster and Ethan Mitchell, plus Sam Dakin, whose career had followed a similar curve to Callum’s.

“It was a special dynamic having Sam [Webster] and Ethan, who Sam [Dakin] and I have looked up to for years, and we built a quite special partnership between those very experienced guys and us, who are quite fresh-faced and naïve to it all.”

Callum’s call-up to the team sprint combination came about through a back injury to Sam Dakin, a situation that provided both sympathy and excitement.

“The circumstance in which I was brought in wasn’t favourable, you never want to see a teammate in duress. Sam and I both have back issues, an occupational hazard, especially for the lead-off rider.

“[The call-up] was a surprise, but every reserve is down at trackside, warming up and prepared to ride as they need to … that’s just the protocol.”

After receiving 20-30 minutes notice that he would be required, Callum hopped on his bike and joined his great grandfather Charlie Saunders [Olympian number 39, NZ rowing team in Los Angeles 1932] as a bona-fide Olympian, number 1490.

“The feeling was incredible,” he recalls. “The circumstances were quite melancholic, but it was a really great moment, especially competing alongside Sam and Ethan, who are great mates.”

Three days later Callum was back on track, this time in the keirin.

In the heats he finished second and progressed directly to the quarterfinals, providing a “massive relief” as he got his tactics right.

However, a day later, he wasn’t so fortunate, narrowly missing a semi-final position.

“I had a basic plan of how I wanted to ride it, but made a wrong judgement call unfortunately. But that’s the beauty of this race, it rewards decisive thinking … and typically that’s the space I have done quite well in, making decisions on the fly. But they don’t always go your way.”

Leaving Japan with no regrets, now his attention is fully focussed on future challenges, particularly the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“There’s plenty more to come. If I get to Paris and I have done everything I could and it doesn’t go my way I will still walk away from that experience with a full heart and a happy head.”

Now at home in Marlborough, after being released from MIQ in Christchurch on Tuesday, Callum is relishing the chance to be among family and able to sample fresh air.

He has also relished joining his great grandfather in the Olympic stable.

“I have had so many messages from friends and family, especially on [Charlie’s] side sharing that sentiment. It is very special, following the path that he took, especially as he was also part of management of the NZ team that went to Tokyo in 1964.

“The whole time I was just very grateful for all the support and love I have received over the years. Particularly coming from a small place like Marlborough, you can feel the hand on your back, and I just felt that from everyone.”