Southland cyclist Emma Cumming has returned to Invercargill after her silver medal winning performance at the UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan and is hungry for further success in the 2016 version of the event.
As a 17-year-old, she is aiming to make the New Zealand junior team squad for the 2016 world championships through a strong performance in the national championships early next year, as she is eligible for the under-19 age group for one more year.
Cumming's main focus is concentrating on the national championships in February.
"I have nationals in the second week of February, so I will race there to try to make the 2016 Junior World Championships squad," she said.
If she makes it to the world championships in 2016, Cumming has some goals.
"I have big time-goals , it is nothing to do with places, it is just about going out and doing a personal best, and I will be happy," she said.
Cumming won the silver medal with Canterbury's Olivia Podmore in the women's team sprint event behind the world record breaking German team.
The cyclist describes her memories of the world championships as 'full of fun, laughs and lots and lots of experience'.
She finished fourth in the 500m time trial, while she also competed in the keirin and sprint.
Despite racing in several different track cycling events, she doesn't have a favourite and will continue riding them while she enjoys them.
Cumming has no expectations heading into the event.
"I will go into the Oceanias with minimal training, so I will go into it to have some fun," she said.
Her coach Karl Watson was 'really happy' with Cumming's success, despite not being present in Kazakhstan to watch her.
"I couldn't be anymore happy, I have been to a couple of these events, but I didn't go to Kazakhstan as the cyclists generally go with the New Zealand coaches, but I will go with her to the Oceanias and national championships," Watson said.
Watson thinks Cumming has a promising future, and considers the 2016 Junior World Championships an important event in her development.
"The 2016 world champs is our big goal, she was around the top in her first year, and she is still getting stronger and tactically better as an athlete, I don't see why she can't do even better next year," he said.
The Oceania Track Cycling Championships will be held in Invercargill from October 8 to 11.