Meet India’s young cycling sensation – Deborah Herold who became the first female cyclist from the country to reach the heights of fourth place in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) individual world ranking.

21-year-old Deborah, from the Andamans, is one of the 20 best riders to contest in this year’s edition of the Track Cycling World Championships held at London’s Lee Valley VeloPark.

This cycling master from India has beaten huge odds to reach the top. An Adivasi from the Car Nicobar islands, when she was nine years old, she survived the Tsunami by sitting atop a tree for one whole day until help arrived.

Deborah took up cycling, a sport which has few fans in this country and even fewer champions, as a career with a historic and unparalleled track record.

Presently this superstar is training hard in Delhi for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Deborah Herold’s Achievements

• World number 4: 500 metres time-trial format

• World Number 11: Overall world cycling rankings

• Deborah became the first female cyclist in India’s history to qualify for the 2016 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Track Cycling World Championships, ahead of South Korea and Japan in the main draw.

• Deborah became the first Indian female cyclist to reach the fourth place in the UCI individual world ranking.

• Deborah has won 3 medals at the Track Asia Cup. She helped India’s cycling contingent finish third with 11 medals.

• Deborah has won 5 medals at the Taiwan Cup Track International Classic, a record gold in the women’s elite sprint category, three silvers and a bronze.