Cycling star a shining light in the Northern Midlands

Northern Midlands cycling great Georgia Baker is attending her third Olympic Games in Paris, and the students at Cressy Primary School and Perth Primary School are showing their support, along with a local butcher shop.

For Cressy their link is Baker’s mum Dearne, who is the school business manager, currently in Paris and ready to see her daughter hopefully perform well when she takes to the track on Wednesday.

The Perth Sausage Shop’s Phillip Groves has been a long-time supporter of Baker, and recently received a special mention – he’s gone all out decorating the shopfront.

Perth Primary has also been getting into the Olympic spirit and will also be cheering on their famous alumni.

Baker will compete in the women’s omnium, madison and team pursuit events.

Having competed at Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021, and now Paris, there is speculation that this could be Baker’s last Olympic Games – although she is not ruling another campaign out.

Georgia, who now lives in Adelaide but is typically based in Spain for eight months of the year, is an athlete who made her way through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport talent pathway, having been identified as a potential cyclist through testing conducted at Perth Primary School.

Georgia’s progression to the elite level included winning Gold at World Track Championships in 2019 in the Teams Pursuit alongside fellow Tasmanian Amy Cure. The pair also teamed up to claim Silver in the Madison. At the 2023 World Championships Georgia won two silver medals in the Madison and the Points Race.

At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games she secured gold medals in the Teams Pursuit, Points Race and the Road Race while also securing a World Championship bronze medal in the Mixed Team Relay.

Baker blends her season between track and road, racing for pro cycling team Liv AlUla Jayco.

Keep an eye out for the 29-year-old’s races, listed below, and also her designer shoes, featuring a helicopter motif, by Tasmanian artist Cam Plapp.

They pay tribute to her beloved dad Patrick – her biggest supporter – who died of a heart attack in 2015 at the age of 44 and loved to fly helicopters.

Baker has had her own heart issues - in 2017 when she thought she was having a heart attack, she was diagnosed with the hereditary condition supraventricular tachycardia – an abnormally fast rhythm caused by an overactive nerve in the heart.

Although not life-threatening, Baker underwent surgery in an effort to prolong her cycling career.

Baker is one of more than a dozen Tasmanians representing the state on the world stage at this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Tasmanian cohort of the Australian team includes five-time Olympian Eddie Ockenden and fellow hockey stars Josh Beltz and Maddi Brooks; Jacob Despard and Stewart McSweyn (athletics); Ariarne Titmus and Max Giuliani (swimming); and Sarah Hawe and Alexandra Viney (rowing). JackJumpers stars Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay form part of the Boomers basketball team, while Alanna Smith will play for the Opals.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games run until Sunday, August 11.

Georgia’s races:

Women’s team pursue (Q) August 7, 1.30am

Women’s team pursuit (round 1), August 7, 9.52pm

Women’s team pursuit final, August 8, 2.57am

Women’s Madison final, August 10, 2.09am

Women’s Omnium scratch race 1/4, August 11, 7pm

Women’s Omnium tempo race 2/4, August 11, 7.57pm

Women’s Omnium Elimination race 3/4, August 11, 8.53pm

Women’s Omnium points race 4/4, August 11, 9.56pm