Going for gold
An Upperlands woman is set to carry the torch for County Derry at the Beijing Olympics.
By Connla Young
Cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel is being tipped for gold when she competes in the Individual Pursuit for Britain next week.
Originally Wendy McLean, the 33-year-old attended Rainey Endowed Grammar School in Magherafelt before leaving for Dundee University to study.
The former dentist’s rise to the top of her sport is made all the more remarkable considering she only took up cycling seriously six years ago.
“Before I stumbled into cycling I hadn’t been on a bike since school,” she explained.
“While at university I didn’t do any sport. I spent five years studying to be a dentist and I was carving out a career in that.
“I married an Englishman and was settled and it was after I had done the London Marathon in 2002 that I decided I wanted to do something different and my husband Ian, who was a keen cyclist, suggested I do that.
“He thought I looked quiet strong on the bike and after a while I thought I would go and do a time trial and then after a few months I finished fourth at a national championship. It was after that that I decided to apply myself and see how far I would go.”
The local woman says her sights are set on claiming gold at the Olympics.
“The good thing is that I go into the event knowing that I have beaten every one of the 12 and I know that I can beat them again and hopefully get gold – that would be the ultimate dream.”
Wendy will compete in her first Individual Pursuit qualifier next Friday at 6pm.
