Back on track: The Marion Clignet Journal 2004

French track legend Marion Clignet retired from racing in 2000, intending to become active as an advocate for women's sport. But after two years off the bike, and perhaps inspired by the other female champions she's encountered while working as a presenter for French TV, Clignet returned to the velodrome in 2003 to the velodrome in a determined comeback. After a solid year building a foundation, Marion's back competing at thehighest level in 2004.

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1pm French time, 9pm in Melbourne and whatever in Singapore, June 3, 2004

Unless...

Unless... [continued from last entry]

I get a wildcard to ride the pursuit and points race but having read and reread the new and improved version of the UCI-CIO-ETC quota selection Olympic Universe rules, the bid would probably go to east Bangladesh before coming to me. So here I am on the plane...

1pm French time, 9pm in Melbourne and whatever in Singapore where we're about to land. Am still in and out of my head wondering what the f%&k went on the last few weeks. What happened or should I say didn't happen is still a bit beyond me...

... but no excuses. Just feel injustice I guess after riding 17.0s, 1.07s, 2.20s in training and zippo on race day. Injustice after having worked hard, put in time, training, help from friends, sponsors, my club and group sportif, support.

When the gun went off it was like I wasn't there and then all of the sudden oh hey! That's for me, gotta go race 12 laps. Listen to the coach, don't go out too fast, then bring it on. Each lap he was telling me I was on schedule; I was feeling ok, no pain...

With five to go I heard him say speed up a tad; my legs were lactic, but why? I wasn't going fast enough to merit that amount of pain. Lactic acid enveloping my legs, my brain, taking over my body? It's over, can't go faster, my time horrendous... so I just had the worst three rides of my career in a two week period, never expected my track career to end like this. The worst feeling, as Rochelle Gilmore described in her recent diary, the feeling of letting people down who have really been there for you, friends, sponsors, family... I'll make it up to them all soon (including those who so kindly took me to dinner in Oz!) I PROMISE!

In the meantime and on a very positive note, I didn't leave empty-handed. I witnessed some of the hottest women's track racing (sorry guys but other than the team pursuit the women were definitely more interesting to watch this year) I've ever seen and met a new generation of young riders (ok, so we met up in the bar at 3am on Saturday night) who have huge potential. There was Sarah the flying Kiwi, smooth as silk who pummelled the world record and can no doubt go faster, a Cuban won the scratch race, a Canadian was second, young Anna Meares won the 500 and put in a PB at the same time, and in Sydney, young Alexis Rhodes snatched the points score from a more experienced field and has potential in other areas as well... So having seen that, I've come home happy that there's a new generation coming on and as for me, I'll use Rochelle's own words: the only way is UP from here!