In a moment that transcended nerves, tears, and the thrill of victory, Emma Finucane wrote her name in cycling history and wore the title ‘World Champion.’ Awarded Cycling Weekly’s Female Rider of the Year in 2023, Finucane’s journey to this accolade was a story of determination, unexpected challenges, and the sweet taste of victory that echoed through the Glasgow Velodrome.

Standing on the hallowed tracks of the velodrome just minutes before winning the athletics world championship, Finucane was sobbing in anxiety and anticipation in a private struggle as the weight of the coming race, one more victory in pursuit of the coveted golden trophy they’re gathered in a frenzy of emotion. 

When a 20-year-old became the World Champion

The culmination of this emotional rollercoaster was apparent on the track, where 20-year-old Finucane met a tough eight-time German world champion, Lee Sophie Friedrich. The atmosphere was packed with visible nerves, but almost in the winning moment, Finucane led from start to finish in less than 90 seconds. She went on to become the youngest match sprint world champion in over 50 years.

However, the road to this unique achievement was paved with more than gold. Growing up on a Welsh barracks in Carmarthen, the eldest of three siblings, Finucane began her cycling journey quite humbly—with a pink race-decked bike.

Reflecting on her childhood, she revealed, “As a girl, I didn’t know what running was or if that track running was even possible or a thing.” Her start on a bike came at the age of six when her mother paid £1 to sign her up for the local club, Towie Riders. The family’s devotion to his interest led to weekly three-hour trips to Newport to train on his nearby turf.

The journey behind the title race

This January, Finucane returned to those wooden boards at the National Track Championships, winning every event she entered, evidence of a meteoric rise in the cycling world Under the guidance of coach Carley McCulloch. It wasn’t her first UCI gold, only at the National Cup in Cairo but she won two silvers at the European Championships.

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But the magic moment arrived at the World Championships during a week marked by ups and downs. A close finish in the team race, with a disappointing fall behind Keirin did not deter Finucane. Instead, she channeled her frustration into mail racing, setting a sea record in the qualifying 200-meter flight to win her first ever world championship.

The adventure wasn’t without its emotional turbulence, together with a poignant second when she could not perceive her triumph along with her mother and father in character. Nevertheless, her victory resonated through the velodrome, and now, as Finucane basks inside the glow of her achievements, she stands on the precipice of an Olympic dream.

Her tale is one of grit, resilience, and an unyielding spirit—a narrative that has no longer only earned her accolades but has etched her call within the hearts of cycling fans worldwide. As she looks closer to the future, Emma Finucane is not just an international champion; she is an image of unwavering determination and the embodiment of the adage that dreams, fueled by passion, can propel one to unheard-of heights.

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