India's young cycling sensation Deborah Herold has become the first female cyclist from the country to reach t... Read More

NEW DELHI: India's young cycling sensation Deborah Herold has become the first female cyclist from the country to reach the heights of fourth place in the UCI individual world ranking, following the release of the latest rankings by the sport's governing body for the 500m time trial event.

Prior to the recent Track Asia Cup held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex Velodrome here, her ranking was tenth but after that success, Deborah has risen six places. At the three-day event last month, her three medals were critical to India's cycling contingent finishing at third place with 11 medals.

She won gold in the women's elite sprint event on the final day by clocking 13.614 seconds to beat South Korea's Cho Sun Young (13.704 seconds) in a photo finish as India signed off their campaign on a high note, barely 24 hours after she broke the national record to clinch silver. The upshot of Deborah's success was that the Indian team also moved up to 13th place in the world rankings.

In October, Deborah clinched five medals at the Taiwan Cup Track International Classic - a record gold in the women's elite sprint category - including a gold, three silver and a bronze. She won India's first gold medal in the women's elite sprint, then took silver in the Keirin event.

"We are very happy that Indian cyclists are improving day by day and I'm sure that Deborah will improve further in years to come," said Onkar Singh, the Secretary General of the Cycling Federation of India on Friday.

Deborah, a 20-year-old from the Andamans, is the biggest name in the current Indian squad and her story is one of inspiration, for when the devastating 2004 tsunami hit Port Blair, a nine-year-old Deborah had to spend over a week stuck in a tree until help arrived.

"I just want to do well, keep our medal tally increasing," she had told TOI Sports during the recent Track Asia Cup. "Thats why we compete. I am in a very happy space right now with the team, we are working hard to keep the tempo up."

Now, having risen to fourth in the world rankings for women, Deborah's tempo has reached a new level.

Read this story in Telegu: ప్రపంచ నెం.4 గా భారత సైక్లింగ్ స్టార్ దెబోరా!