HIGH ACHIEVERS: Whyalla's Leigh Hoffman, left, with the Australian junior cycling coach Shane Kelly and Australian team-mate Thomas Cornish.

Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer has congratulated local cycling superstar Leigh Hoffman on his latest achievements.

Leigh has just competed in the Under-19 World Championships in Switzerland where, amongst other things, he finished second in the 200m qualifying and set a new Australian record. He also finished sixth in the keirin and just missed out on a medal in the 200m with a fourth-place finish.

Mayor Breuer said Leigh was a wonderful ambassador for Whyalla and a great example of our city producing high achievers.

“This is another great achievement by Leigh and all his supporters who made it possible for him to travel to Switzerland,” Mayor Breuer said.

“With our velodrome, Whyalla has produced many talented cyclists and Leigh continues to fly the flag for the Whyalla Cycling Club and our city.

“Well done young man, I know your family is very proud of you and so is the whole city of Whyalla.”

The Switzerland event, held in Aigle, involved two-week long training camps, followed by 12 days of training and racing in Switzerland. Leigh posted a picture and his thoughts on his Facebook page following the weekend’s competition.

“The Under 19s worlds is now over for me, a lot of highs and lows, experienced gained,” Leigh said.

“I’m am extremely proud of placing second in the 200m with a time of 10.037 and setting a new Australian record.

“I like to thank everyone for their support and getting me to where I am today, especially mum and dad and Cycling Australia and Australian Cycling Team for providing me with the trip of a lifetime.

“The most important thing I have learned from this trip is that no amount of training can prepare yourself for some world class racing.”

It has been a remarkable rise of Leigh who started his cycling career with the Whyalla Cycling Club just five years ago. His coach convinced him to go to the State championships in and after coming away with a number of medals and a taste for riding in circles, he was picked in the national team later that year.

From this he continued to cycle, play football, baseball and athletics before concentrating more on cycling. He was selected in the State Development Cycling Squad in 2015 resulting in more trips to Adelaide for training and competition. 

At the start of 2016 Leigh went to the state championships to compete in the under-17 age category. He was the fastest qualifier at the in the 200m sprint, breaking the South Australian record. He then won two gold medals in the 500m time trial and sprint.

Leigh was then chosen in the state team to compete at the 2016 Launceston National Junior Track Cycling Championships. He started off his nationals campaign with a bang winning gold in the 500m time trial becoming a junior Australia champion (breaking the South Australian record). He then qualified 2nd in the 200m but then unfortunately did not make it far in the sprint rounds. On the last day Leigh picked up a bronze medal in the keirin.

It was after these collective results Leigh was awarded a position with the South Australian Institute of Sport as a Track Sprinter

With the drain of travelling fortnightly for training and training interruptions at home with an outdoor track, the decision was made for Leigh to move to boarding school at Immanuel College in 2017 so he could further pursue his cycling career and be in closer contact with his coaches and SASI support staff. He travelled to Cambridge New Zealand in November 2017, pulling on the green and gold jersey for the first time with a win in the under-19 team Sprint.

Leigh then qualified first in the 200m narrowly missing the New Zealand all-comers record. This was backed up with some great rides and produced a win in the under-19 Mens Sprint, becoming an Oceania Champion.

February 2018 saw Leigh attend the under-19 Australian championships in Queensland where he qualified second in the 200m, breaking the Australian record for his first time (the time was broken again after him by 0.02). Leigh then went on through brilliant sprint rounds then won gold and became under-19 Australian Champion and also picked up a silver medal with fellow south Aussies in the team sprint.

* Background information courtesy of the Australian Sports Foundation