Young cyclist makes his mother proud

Cooper Gough has matched his brother and sister as a winner of an Invercargill track cycling series, but his success rates extra special.

The 12-year-old James Hargest junior campus student has type 1 diabetes and needs to constantly monitor his body, especially when training and competing in sporting events.

Cooper emulated his brother Hunter and sister Madeleine when winning the under-13 section of the King House Removals-sponsored Track Cycling Omnium Series at the SIT Velodrome in Invercargill on November 19. The next day Cooper had a three-hour assessment to receive a black belt in taekwondo.

He was ‘‘very happy’’ to win the cycling title and receive the black belt within 24 hours of each other. ‘‘I was very proud of myself.’’ His mother Kylea Gough keeps a close eye on him at sports training and competitions.

‘‘I follow him around to make sure he’s okay,’’ she said.

‘‘There have been days when it’s been touch and go, but we just have to adjust things, whether it’s more insulin or more food, just to keep him right.’’

Copper won three national taekwondo titles in 2019 for his age, weight and belt. Cancellation of taekwondo events in the past two years, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, had denied him the opportunity to win more.

He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 18 months ago.

‘‘Since then we’ve had some tough times [with the condition] but he’s always kept his chin up, and I’m proud of him,’’ his mother said.