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news
Lauren Booth © Lauren BoothParacyclist, 13, denied world record - because anti-doping didn't turn up
A young paracyclist aiming for the world record for the women’s C4 flying 200m has been denied her chance for the second time - because the invited doping testers did not attend.
Lauren Booth, 13, from Chippenham, already broke the flying 200m record at the Wales National Velodrome with a time of 15.129 seconds in 2013 - but was ineligible for the title as she was only 12 at the time.
This weekend she beat her own PB in the same race to finish in 14.402 seconds - but her victory is only considered a ‘world best’ rather than a record as the anti-doping testers were not present.
She told This is Wiltshire: “I was really happy with how I did but just a little bit disappointed about the doping control.”
The teenager suffered from meningitis as a baby and defied doctors by even managing to walk. She already holds the national records in the 500m time trial and 2km pursuit.
As a result of that illness, Lauren lost her hearing in one ear and the parts of her brain associated with memory and speech were also damaged. She also suffers from cerebral palsy, which affects her left arm and leg.
Her mother Lisajayne said: “It was an international event and we were expecting the dope-testing people but it wasn’t to be – she’ll have to try and do it next time.
“All of the coaches and the right people were there, so people still got to see her get the world record time.”
At road.cc we’ve been following Lauren’s progress since she was 10 years old, when to celebrate her 10th birthday and to thank the Meningitis Trust which celebrated its 25th anniversary she completed a 25 mile ride sponsored ride.
The week before her ride Lauren received a surprise; a signed jersey arrived in the post from the GB para-cycling team - she raised £3,000 for charity that day, and clearly she has been inspired to go on to ever bigger things.
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13 comments
Sad really, let the record stand... Lauren very well done...
I'm minded to agree with Jimmy, we don't know the full story. Let's hope Lauren gets plenty of chances to shine in the future.
If disability sport is worth mentioning (and I certainly believe it is) then why can't road.cc get any other reports from the two-day event instead of just one 'hard luck' story?
Meanwhile Steve Abraham's attempt at the year record has been reported on here but I don't recall seeing anything about the Billie Fleming tribute (http://www.tributetobillie.co.uk/ and @tributetobillie)
I think you can replace "disabled sports" with "amateur sports" and it be just as relevant a comment.
The report does not say what the event was... was it training? Was it a local league? Was it an official world record attempt? The point is, should the testers have been there?
If you were to ask Brad Wiggins what his personal best time for a 4k pursuit was, I'd be happy to wage its quicker than he has been officially recorded as going.
A sad reflection of our sport in some ways, but just real life in others is that there isn't enough dope testers and indeed funds to pay for testing for testers to be everywhere all the time.
Laurens 13, clearly massively talented, with the world ahead of her... I am sure it won't be too long before she produces a similar or better result at a championship and get the recognition she deserves.
It was an International Para-cycling event in Newport
A rather sad comment on how disabled sports and sportsmen & women are regarded.
This seems like half a story. I mean why would they not turn up? Were they obliged to, was it just a maybe? Did they get stuck in traffic or did they just not set their alarm clocks...
Or did they have bigger fish to fry???
Innocence until Proven Guilty... Doping Official's issue if they don't turn up, i'd say... Legit Record!
The doping testers really should be ashamed of themselves.
Maybe they should be called the 'Dopey Testers'
Lauren has the quality to do it again. She has a great future ahead of her on a bike, this little upset won't ever rock her boat.
What a cynical world we live in - when a little kid can't be given a title because she hasn't been dope tested it says more about the corrupted cycling world than the kid.
Nope just the rules of sport at the top level.
Dope testing at 13!?! Jesus what's the world coming to when you can't trust a child not to be juiced!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneviève_Jeanson