Kendelle Hodges has kicked on since being named the Don Deeble Rising Star in 2010. 39870_01 Picture: PAUL JEFFERS Hodges at the Don Deeble award with former AFL umpire Glen James. 28887_02 Picture: CONTRIBUTED
By LIAM TWOMEY
FROM the moment she first took to a bike, Kendelle Hodges has been out in front.
The Werribee resident was introduced to the sport of road cycling through a school competition and after posting a great result with little experience, decided to look into competing on a regular basis.
What a great decision that proved to be.
Since winning her first competitive race as a teenager, Hodges has enjoyed a brilliant career, which may be just warming up.
In 2009 she was named the Australian Junior Female Road Cyclist of the Year and the Victorian Women’s Road Cyclist of the year.
There has been no shortage of great race wins either for the now 20-year-old who was invited to join the Victorian Institute of Sport and has continued to excel on the bike since moving from junior to senior competition.
“Last year I won a race which was part of the National Road Series. That was really good and I hadn’t done that before,” she said.
“That was in the elite women’s category.
“I was working with the VIS and I went to a couple of AIS selection camps and was hoping to race overseas this year but I have had glandular fever for the past six months so that has sort of put things on hold for a while.
“I am just starting to get back into training now.”
While winning races may be second nature for Hodges, another accolade she received was the Don Deeble Rising Star Award, which is run by the Sunshine Western Region Sports Club.
The award is designed to recognise the outstanding achievements of junior athletes from the western suburbs.
Hodges was originally nominated as a monthly winner but went on to progress through to the top three performed athletes in 2009 and again in 2010 where she was named the overall winner.
In total, she was awarded nearly $10,000 in prize money for her achievements by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club.
Hodges has already proved to be a more than worthy recipient and is looking at taking her career overseas when she returns to full health.
“Within Australia it (road cycling) is certainly getting better but in Europe it just goes to another level of racing and competing,” she said.
“There is a lot more racing on so that will be the next step for me. That is definitely a much higher standard than in Australia.
“I think that is the long-term goal for now and then once I get there, the first time will be a really good learning experience and then I will just take it from there.”
The Don Deeble award continues to support athletes who have achieved outstanding results at a state and national level from across the western suburbs.
For more information or to nominate a recipient contact the Star News Group’s sports department via email on starsport@starnewsgroup.com.au or call 9933 4800.
