Shropshire teen cyclist Grace Lister called up for Commonwealth Games

The 18-year-old was yesterday named in a 35-strong group which will be led by five-time Olympic champion Laura Kenny.

Lister was part of the Great Britain team which won team pursuit gold at last year‘s Junior World Championships and has been a member of the national academy since 2020.

But the Shrewsbury College student admits her call-up for the Games still came as a big surprise.

She told the Shropshire Star: “I wasn’t expecting it at all. To be going to my first Commonwealth Games at 18, it was a bit of a shock. It will be a really good experience.

“I’d applied for it and knew there might be a chance but I’d actually said to my parents a few days before I didn’t think I’d be going. Even to be nominated was special. To be chosen was something else. This will be the biggest event I have done so far and for it to be a home Games is even more special.”

Lister will compete on the track at London’s Lee Valley Velodrome, with the events taking place between Friday, July 31 and Monday, August 1.

Cycling events then continue with the mountain biking at Cannock Chase on Wednesday, August 3, with the time trials which start and finish at Wolverhampton’s West Park taking place the following day.

Kenny is comfortably the most decorated member of an England team which also Olympic Omnium champion Matt Walls, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and world omnium champion Ethan Hayter, Paralympic silver medallist and road world champion Sophie Unwin and mountain bike world champion Evie Richards.

"I cannot wait to get on my bike again at the Commonwealth Games for Team England,” said Kenny. “There's nothing better than going out on track in front of a home Games crowd, especially at the Lee Valley VeloPark; a place with one or two happy memories for me."

Team England chef de mission, Mark England, said: “Cycling is always a crowd favourite and is a sport that we have rich heritage in as a nation.

“As such, it is an honour to welcome such a talented group of athletes to Team England for the home Games this summer.”