Hard work and dedication were the keys to star cyclist Paul DeNobrega’s success in 2012 which enabled him to be selected as the Junior Sportsman of the Year.
So said the talented rider during an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“Well I feel really good about this achievement it was all because of hard work. Me and my coach put in the training and the dedication, a lot of time on the saddle and it paid off,” DeNobrega added.
“I want to thank my Coach, Wayne Henry from Canada. He has been coaching me for the past four years and I want to thank him a lot as well as my family and everyone that supported me. I am really elated about winning, and it was well deserved.”
DeNobrega’s most outstanding achievement for last year occurred in the Dominican Republic when he sped off with the gold medal at the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships.
The cyclist who turns 19 years old on Wednesday also won several races on the local circuit as well as road races in Antigua, Anguilla and Suriname.
The former junior star cyclist also placed second overall in the grueling Ride for Life, 266-mile five-stage road race. He also won the most lucrative one-day race in Guyana’s history, The Digicel Breast Cancer Awareness 70-mile road race.
DeNobrega, who is part of the local Team Coco’s Club which is based in Miami, Florida, said that he is looking to build last year’s success.
“I had a successful year, I won the Junior Championships in the Dominican Republic; I won races in Antigua in Anguilla and Suriname so I hope the form I had last year not only comes over to his year but for me to further improve and build on last year’s success.”
DeNobrega added:“Hopefully I get over to Miami to start training with Team Coco’s on a full time basis to further improve on the international stage. This year I am not a junior anymore so I have to be more serious and step up my game because I have ambitions to make all the senior tours and make my club and my country proud.”
