Each of the ten athletes will be selected by Lady Mary and her Trust to receive a £500 bursary from Hughes Insurance to support them on their journey to realising their sporting potential.
Lady Mary Peters said: “Adam is an outstanding cyclist, with multiple national wins under his belt. His achievements are a testament to his talent, hard work and perseverance and I hope that this bursary will help to support him as he prepares to compete internationally this summer.”
Hailing from a family of cyclists, Adam has achieved numerous wins for the sport. In addition to being ranked 4th in the National Criterium Championships in 2021, he was also ranked 3rd in the Ulster Cyclo-Cross Championships. In 2022, he came 4th in the Cyclo-Cross National Championships and is currently preparing to take part in Tour du Valromey this July, an international 5-day competition that will see cyclists road biking across mountainous terrain.
Inspired by his brother’s love for cycling, Adam began mountain biking at the age of seven, and quickly progressed to road, track and cyclo-cross. Currently balancing cycling practice with preparing for his GCSEs, he trains five to six days a week throughout the year, combining short, intense weekday sessions with endurance rides or races at the weekend.
Commenting on his bursary, he said: “It’s an honour to be selected as a bursary recipient by Mary Peters Trust and Hughes Insurance. Although my sporting journey has been tremendously rewarding and enjoyable, it has required a lot of hard work, discipline and the ability to overcome injuries and continue to success. It’s great to have this recognised.”
Adam plans to use the bursary to invest in professional bike fits, aerodynamic equipment and coaching.
He continued: “I’m really looking forward to taking part in Tour du Valromey this July and the bursary will help massively by covering the cost of coaching and equipment.
“What I love most about cycling is the friendships I’ve made and the feeling of winning a race. I also love the fact that it’s a passion that I share with my siblings, both of whom can be quite competitive! For any other young people interested in competitive cycling, I would say the best way to get started would be to join your local cycling club- it’s a great way to make new friends and find people to ride with at the same ability level as you.”
Bethany Carroll, Marketing Executive at Hughes Insurance said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Mary Peters Trust for 2022. Last year, the programme supported 10 very talented athletes and we are proud to do the same this year.
Adam is a shining example of the talent we have in Northern Ireland and how important funding can be on their journey to reaching their full potential. We look forward to seeing Adam progress in his sport and wish him all the best this summer!”.
The Mary Peters Trust is the only province-wide organisation to provide support to young athletes from all recognised sports. Along with Hughes Insurance, it is also supported by Alchemy Technology Services, who this year became a podium partner to support the Trust’s activities throughout 2022.
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