TWO students from Haslingden High School and Sixth Form will be competing in the World BMX Championships in Glasgow this August.
Hannah Wilson and Dan Wilson, no relation, are both in the Sixth Form and will be representing their country at the prestigious competition.
In 2019, Dan, who took up BMX riding after attending a birthday party for his sister’s friend, was picked to represent his country in Texas in May 2020, but Covid forced that event to be cancelled.
Dan rides for BMX Widow, a team based in Preston, and Hannah rides for club Preston Pirates.
Last year, Dan rode for Team GB in the World Championships in Nantes, France.
Hannah, 17, said: “I went to the British Championships last year in Bournemouth and also competed at regional and national levels.
“I will be taking part in the regional series this year, but the racing season has not started yet.
“In the nationals, I represent the North West – in the regionals, I represent Preston Pirates.
“I wasn’t initially selected for the World Championships but I applied for a place and they looked at my race results and I got an email to say I had been accepted onto the team.
“I started off initially road biking but I got a bit bored with it and I decided to try something new and, at first, I went to my local BMX track and joined the local team Pendle Panthers in Barrowford and that is where I got my initial coaching from.”
She moved to Preston as it has a larger track and Hannah also trains at the BMX indoor track at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.
Hannah added: “When you are waiting at the gate and you hear ‘Riders ready, watch gate, beep’ and you are off, there is an adrenaline rush and you have got to go for it to try to get the racing line.
“It is every man, and woman, for themselves. I just go for it; it is all you can do.”