Success in sport comes from hard work and dedication, and for 15-year-old Charles Langford, his commitment over the past year paid off last weekend.
Competing in the National Circuit Championships at Goodwood, Charles became the first Southend Wheeler to win an RTTC/CTT Championship. In the first of two events, the Junior 10-mile Championships (Under 18) he secured a third-place podium finish and received a bronze medal after finishing in a time of 21 mins and 7 ses. Just a couple of hours later and switching to his road bike, Charles was competing in the Youth Championship (Under 16), where he was the favourite. This event, over 7.6 miles, saw Charles set a new personal best of 17 mins and 6 secs (23 seconds off his previous record) and nearly half a minute ahead of his nearest rival, earning the gold medal and the coveted National Championship jersey—a fitting reward for his hours of training and the sacrifices made.
Highlights from Charles’s year to date
May
Third place at the Ixworth Crits.
Personal best of 20 minutes and 26 seconds at the VTTA London & Home Counties 10-mile time-trial, Buckinghamshire.
Essex Junior Time Trial Champion.
June
Eastern Counties (ECCA) Under 16s Champion.
July
Winner of the Cyclopark ‘Spring in the Park’, a series of weekly events over seven weeks. Charles secured the series victory by event five.
First Youth and Junior – ECCA 10-mile TT Championship, in a time of 19 minutes and 45 seconds, slashing 41 seconds off his previous personal best.
August
National Youth Champion, finishing in 17 minutes and 6 seconds.
September – Upcoming targets
1st Sept: National Junior 10-mile Championships.
8th Sept: CTT GHS 10-mile Championships.
Feeling inspired?
If you’re inspired by Charles’s success or the recent achievements of our Olympic Cyclists, then why not sign up for our Summer of Cycling? These events are completely free, and with three remaining, there’s still time to give the sport of cycling a try.
Are you the next Charles Langford? Or perhaps the next Tom Pidcock (MTB), Anna Henderson (TT), Kieran Reilly (BMX), or Emma Finucane (Track)? – Grab your bike and helmet and come along.
Register today: TryBooking
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