BENDIGO mum Jaclyn Wilson-Thompson has capped a phenomenal return to the BMX track with two Australian titles.The former world champion had not raced for more than 12 years when she decided about three months ago to resurrect her stellar career.Wilson-Thompson only got back on the bike after five-year-old son Aston decided to take up the sport earlier this year.“When I crossed that line I just couldn’t believe I was number one in Australia,” she said.“When I was younger and winning all the time I got used to that feeling.“But this time, it was almost impossible and I managed to do it.” The 31-year-old mother of two claimed the 17 years and older class title and the 35 to 39-year-old title, adding some new trophies to the dusty relics on the mantelpiece.“I raced until I was 19, and I had won two world titles, two Australian titles and 10 state titles,” Thompson said.“Earlier this year we thought Aston was about the right age to start getting involved in a sport, so we took him down to the BMX track and there were some people there I used to race with.“They said I should get back into it and I said no, not after 13 years, I couldn’t, it had been too long.“I just had no fitness, and I hadn’t even ridden a bike to the shop that whole time.“But a couple of weeks later I got my original bike out on the weekend and went around the Eaglehawk track a few times and went okay.” Wilson-Thompson then discovered the door was still ajar should she decide to compete at the BMX National Championships in Perth.“I had 13 weeks to get ready, even just getting on to the bike was something I had to get used to again,” she said.“But each week I kept getting better, my training was very intense, each week a different muscle just ached.“I’d been about 13 years out of the sport and I was competing against 17-year-olds, I had to be realistic.“I wanted to make it to the final, and when I did I just tried to prepare myself mentally like I did when I was younger.” Wilson-Thompson will now race in the world championships in Adelaide during July.And she hasn’t ruled out an Olympic tilt.“I’ll just go (to the worlds) with the same intention as I went to the nationals, to do the best that I can.“I’m not sure with the Olympics, because they usually pick girls that are between 18 and 22 years old, but who knows?” I can’t draw a line through anything.”
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