Type One National Champion

The type one diabetes population can now claim to have a National title holder. Seventeen year old track cycling sensation James Glasspool on Sunday became the fastest athlete with type one diabetes on the planet by claiming the U19 1000m Time Trial national title at the Australian Track Cycling Championships in Adelaide, South Australia.

The South Australian U19 rider finished with a time of 1min4.793secs, over two seconds faster than his nearest rivals, Queenslander Michael Hepburn and Victorian Maddison Hammond. The time was just outside his own Australian record, set in January at Sydney Youth Olympic Festival.

The 'kilo' as the event is more commonly known, is renowned for its extreme physical impacts. Riders must complete four laps of the 250m velodrome from a standing start, averaging almost 60km/h in the process.

"It was extremely tough," said Glasspool following his ride. "It hurt from the last lap and three quarters. I held a level of lactic acid build up until then but from there it went into my upper most level. I hit the last lap just trying to maintain the momentum."

Glasspool is a native of Adelaide and represented his state of South Australia at the championships. He has had type one diabetes since he was 10 years old and has been racing competitively for the past two seasons, focusing on the track events at the Adelaide 'superdrome'.

"It sends a strong message that people with type one diabetes can do it" reflected Glasspool.

The result tops off a remarkable week where he also won silver in the sprint and fourth in the kierin. But it was not without drama. The South Australian squad, considered favourites for the team sprint, encountered disaster when a clash of wheels sent final rider Matt Glaetzer crashing to the ground.

"The week was very stressful and tough but I was very proud of how I performed, backing up after each event and still placing relatively high. My diabetes management was good. I took my pump off when racing but put it back on after each event and bolused for all the powerade and food I had consumed, and this seemed to work out well. I don’t usually get affected by nerves and adrenaline, but today warming up before the kilo I felt a bit low so had some powerade and this brought me back up."

The performances of Glasspool provide a strong basis to earn selection to the Australian team to compete at the Junior World Track Championships later this year in Russia. An announcement of the team is expected to occur next week. The aim to represent Australia and everyone with type one diabetes at the "Worlds" has been a long time goal of James. And by August, he plans to go faster again.

"If I am selected to the Australian team I hope that by Worlds I can go a lot faster. I believe I can ride at least a high 1.03 or maybe a 1.02. I seem to have the right body type and physiology for the event with good lactic tolerance."