Rising star Jade Haines on track to take on the world

By Terry Mallinder
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Updated: July 3, 2016

JADE Haines has wasted no time in becoming one of the brightest young stars of Australian track racing – one who is now ready to take on the world.

It wasn’t that long ago the West Australian rider was a budding triathlete.

The 17-year-old, however, will this month help spearhead Australia’s campaign at the 2016 UCI Junior Track World Championships in Switzerland.

To be her first appearance on the international stage, Haines was selected after claiming the scratch and individual pursuit events on debut at the national U19 championships in February.

“I was a triathlete for about one season, (but) it was clear even then that my strongest leg was cycling,” Haines told Youth Sport Australia.

Haines was in Year 8 at Swan Christian College when she was brought to the attention of Western Australian Institute of Sport cycling coaches Clay Worthington and Darryl Benson.

As part of a 10-week talent identification program, she was introduced to the track at the SpeedDome in Perth and within a year was claiming her first national junior title – two, in fact, the individual pursuit and the team sprint, in the U17s in 2014.

Haines would then last year become the first female WA rider to win five individual gold medals at a national track event – the U17 points race, individual pursuit, time trial, keirin and scratch race – before stepping up to win another two this year in the U19s.

“I do feel like it’s been an extremely rapid rise,” Haines says. “But I haven’t worked as hard at a sport before, and I always am trying to better myself.

“Each event was better than the next for me, in terms of learning new things and meeting new people.

“A highlight for me would have to be winning the IP at U19 nationals this year. I was very happy with the time (2:25.981).

“I find that the hardest thing to master is the mental games you have to play with yourself, especially in the IP. Learning that it’s mind over matter was a challenge.”

From Kalamunda in the eastern suburbs of Perth, Haines will now head out on her first overseas trip to compete in the Swiss city of Aigle from July 20-24 with the 13-strong Australian team.

“Being selected was such an amazing feeling and one that I have been chasing since I started cycling,” she says.

“I have never travelled overseas for a competition before, so this will be a first for me.

“It (Switzerland) is such an amazing country, so beautiful. I am really looking forward to experiencing the culture.”

Haines, who will compete alongside fellow female cyclists Tahlay Christie (WA), Kristina Clonan (Queensland), Nicola Macdonald (NSW), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Victoria) and Brooke Tucker (Queensland), has stepped up training for the big event, which also includes a two-week training camp in Adelaide before flying out.

“My preparation has involved a six-week road block with two NRS (National Road Series) races, which were Tour Mersey Valley and Battle of the Borders, and then, of course, my track training,” she said.

“My training load has definitely increased, with the longer kilometres on the road.”

With her prodigious talent and clear commitment to the sport, Haines is understandably aiming for even greater heights down the track.

“Olympic Games is my ultimate goal,” she says. “As with any big goal, it’s how much I want it, following with hard training, and persistence, both on and off the bike.”

And with a little luck, she may be competing on the biggest stage with younger sister Dharlia, who was named Champion of Champions at the 2016 Cycling Australia Junior Track National Championships in February after claiming three U15 gold and another three medals.

“Dharlia is doing so amazing,” Jade says. “She’s killing it. I am a very proud big sis.

“That is the ideal dream … for the both of us to be able to ride at the highest level of cycling together.”

You can help Jade with financial costs of travelling overseas by donating at GoFundMe.