With the silverware from the biggest win of his career towering and glistening beside him, Jack Davis has set his sights on an even bigger prize.
The 16-year old will head to Brisbane this weekend for a high performance training camp.
Run under the auspices of Cycling Australia Davis will be training alongside the country’s elite BMX riders and “people they are looking at taking to the World Championships next year”.
“I’m really looking forward to that. Hopefully I can put some good numbers out there that will turn their eyes towards me,” he said.
It is the first step in the Olympic pathway Davis dreams of following.
After a short break after returning from the camp, Davis will be knuckling down to some hard training ahead of the Oceania Championships in New Zealand in the new year, where he will step up to the junior elite class.
That will also mean an increase from a 5m starting ramp to 8m ramp.
Davis hasn’t really ridden in competition off the 8m but coach Luke Madill has a ramp which he has trains off when he goes up to his place.
He is arguably in career best form with dad Paul remarking that he rode “the best he’s ever-ridden” in winning both the 15-16 open and the 16 expert at the BMX Grand Nationals.
Davis agreed.
He has been working with a sports psychologist, which he said has helped him a lot.
“The mental game was a weakness of mine,” he said.
“Working with her has been good.”
In true American style, the trophies were so big they had to be disassembled to bring back to Australia. Each part wrapped in a t-shirt, they took up a whole suitcase.
Davis is set to be spending a bit more time over in the states after signing on with Ssquared Factory Team.
“They’re an American-based team,” he said.
“They’ve got a really good future which is the main reason we chose it.”
Another reason was the family-focus with the manager offering Davis a room at his house when he is over there.
“I’ll go over and race a lot of the National Series rounds in June/July and get up points to hopefully win the number one amatuer, which they give out at Grands,” he said.
It was his third time competing at what is regarded as one of the biggest BMX events in the world.
“The two times I went before I choked up and didn’t do well, so it was nice to do well,” he said.
