AFTER nearly two years of preparation and anticipation, the wait is finally over for Tamworth teenager Daniel Morris.
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Morris jets out for New Zealand this weekend to begin the World BMX Championships in Auckland on Monday.
The Tamworth Bicycles-sponsored rider has been working hard since finding out the titles were to be held in NZ about two years ago and has achieved his goal of riding two classes at this year’s event.
“The world titles are a pretty big thing for a rider as they are the only real event that we have to qualify purely on performance to get a start,” the 14-year-old rider said.
“At state level or even national level, qualification is done by participation – you have to ride a certain number of events to qualify – but it doesn’t matter so much on your finishing position.
“For the worlds you have to finish in the top 16 in Australia at the national titles to get a start so to make it on both bikes is a pretty big achievement in itself.”
Morris has been training hard both on and off the track and wants to thank Dennis Rixon and his staff at Fitness Plus for putting him through a series of programs the last couple of years.
It has played a big and vital part in his improved performances, especially in the last six to eight months and helped Morris score some deserving results all over the country.
The worlds could be one of his last outings on his custom carbon fibre GT Race bike as the new model is released in September and one is already on the drawing board.
“We wanted to do something different with the frame on my race bike for the Aussies and the worlds so Ben and Emily Lloyd from Lloyds Signco designed a custom one-off vinyl skin for the bike and a matching one for the helmet which incorporate the Aussie flag as its centrepiece,” Morris said.
It has provided Morris with one of the most individual and top-quality race bikes anywhere in not only Australia but the world and has already drawn plenty of attention at its debut at the national titles in Brisbane recently.
Tamworth will also be well represented at next week’s world titles – 11-year-old Jack Davis is also competing in two categories, said Brett Morris, Daniel’s father.
“Jack is a massive chance of coming home with a world plate,” Brett Morris said.
“Bar a few crashes recently that have robbed him of national and state honours, he is, in my opinion, one of the best riders in his age group anywhere and I think this will be proved in NZ.
“I wish the boys the best of luck and hope they enjoy the experience for what it is and that is a chance to represent their country at an international level.
“I know they are ready and the rest is now up to the BMX gods.”
![NZ-bound Daniel Morris has high hopes at the World BMX titles. NZ-bound Daniel Morris has high hopes at the World BMX titles.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-7YjsyXB7ExBTuzGHT3fj6J/5477e961-349f-4b84-a712-72817e608f7a.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)