Katy Marchant insists four national titles won't guarantee Rio place
By Matt Westby
Last Updated: 12/10/15 5:48pm
Heptathlete-turned-track cyclist Katy Marchant says her four gold medals at last month's British championships have given her a huge confidence boost but will not guarantee her a "ticket on the plane to Rio".
The 22-year-old is still learning the trade after converting from athletics less than three years ago but made a major breakthrough when winning all four national sprint titles ahead of more established team-mates such as Becky James and Jess Varnish.
She now takes momentum into the European Track Championships in Switzerland, which begin on Wednesday and mark the start of the season leading into the 2016 Olympic Games, but she is adamant she still has plenty to prove.
Marchant told Sky Sports: "I couldn't have asked for it [the British championships] to go any better. I knew my form was good, but you can never expect to win. I just wanted to achieve personal goals and a win would have been be a bonus, so four wins was a massive bonus.
"I would say my form is the best it has ever been, which puts me in a great position going into the Euros. The nationals have also boosted my confidence, so mentally and physically I'm in good shape.
"I can't take anything for granted. Four wins at the nationals is not a ticket on the plane to Rio, but it helps and it has done a lot for my confidence and, hopefully, that can help me move forward."
Marchant made the switch from athletics to track cycling after her heptathlon coaches noticed she produced remarkable amounts of power on an exercise bike.
British Cycling were equally impressed and offered her place on the Olympic Academy Programme as a sprinter in 2013, but her lack of cycling experience meant she had to learn the techniques and tactics of racing on the track from scratch.
She added: "I feel like I'm getting there now. I'm racing a lot better, I'm more at one with my bike, I've been doing a lot of tactics training, watching videos and basically just learning the trade.
"But I've still got ground to make up on established riders. I don't think you can exchange experience for anything and there are a lot of girls who have got a lot more experience than me, but I don't see myself as being disadvantaged.
"If anything, it gives me more room for improvement than everyone else and, hopefully, come Rio I will be just about there."
The European Track Championships take place in Grenchen from Wednesday, September 14, to Sunday, September 18.
