Whanganui High School's Jack Overweel only thought about getting on a track bike last October and less than six months later he is a national champion.
The 13-year-old cleaned up at the NZ Secondary Schools Track Cycling Championships at the Cambridge Velodrome this week, winning three individual discipline titles and with it the Overall Age Group championship for Under 14's.
One of a small contingent of four Whanganui representatives to attend the championships, having to compete against top cyclists from schools who regularly race and train indoors at Cambridge, Overweel caught everyone by surprise by winning the 500m Derby, the 2000m Scratch Race and the 2500m Points Race.
His interest in competitive cycling started at Whanganui Intermediate when the teacher in charge of cycling asked if he wanted to have a go, with the school arranging a bike for him.
Overweel had been getting into triathlon, but eventually settled on one discipline that's part of that sport.