Oisin O'Callaghan, Ireland's first junior world champion for more than twenty years, got a hero's welcome in Ardpatrick today when locals turned out to celebrate the Limerick teenager's incredible year.
The 17-year-old took two UCI Downhill World Cup wins this year, both in Slovenia in October, and also claimed junior gold at the World Championships in Austria the same month.
He was also 2nd overall in the World Cup series at season end, only seeing a 19-point lead disappear in the final races in Portugal when he crashed and punctured.
He could have coasted through the final World Cup races and played it safe as even a modest result would have secured the title for him.
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However, he said that wasn't in his nature and he had to go for broke every time he raced.
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That mindset is one that has clearly delivered huge results for him, even though he is still only a first year junior, and it was already very evident in his early years in primary school.
When he was 7-years-old O'Callaghan and his classmates were asked to draw a poster that represented their ambition in life.
O'Callaghan was clear even from that early age about what his hopes and dreams were as his poster contained just four worlds: World Champion Mountain Biker. Just 10 years on he's taken World Champs gold at the first time of asking.
Today Ardpatrick turned out to salute his success, with O'Callaghan arriving by tractor to a community gathering - in his rainbow bands kit and with his trophies from this year and his bike - for the socially distanced event.
He later took to the trails at Ballyhoura on the doorstep of the family home and where his father, Chris, is co-owner of Trail Riders, the mountain bike shop and service provider at Ballyhoura.
O'Callaghan rides for trade team The YT Mob. He secured a two-year contract with the outfit when he entered a competition to get into the team that attracted 550 entries for only two places.
After the riders were put through their paces O'Callaghan was selected, despite carrying an injury at the time; the best bit of business the team has done for a long time considering the results of the 17-year-old in recent months.
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