Daniel Thorsen

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

One of the cyclists inducted into the City of Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame is John Thorsen who represented Australia in the Olympic Games. We will now induct John’s son Daniel as a Junior Roll of honour member due to his success as a junior cyclist.

Daniel was always destined to ride competitively, with his father as coach he spent thousands of hours training both on the road and at the Velodrome. He commenced as a ten year old and developed his talent at the regular Wednesday night track events in Shepparton. It was obvious that Daniel had special talent and he soon was a regular winner, not only at Shepparton but throughout the state at sports carnivals and cycling meetings. By the time he was fourteen he won his first selection in a Victorian team for the 2000 State Championships.

By 2002 he became an under 17 National Champion in the sprint event.

 Daniel had arrived as a top prospect and worked hard to improve his standard. He came under notice of the big names in cycling and in 2003 he signed a contract with Pro Continental Cycling Team Drapac Porsche.

The same year he won selection in the Australian team for the Junior World championships in Moscow. He came second in the Kierin, and third in the scratch race. He also won the Australian title in the scratch race and the team sprint. Daniel followed up with another Australian selection in 2004 for the Los Angeles world titles He was second in the Keirin (with the winner failing a drug test), and third in the team sprint.  

Daniel also represented Australia in the Youth Commonwealth Games where he finished 1^st in three events the Keiran, Sprint and Time Trial.  It was a great year for Daniel as he also became the champion of champions at the Australian track championships and was judged the Victorian cyclist of the year and track cyclist of the year.

Most of Daniels’ big races were overseas, however the Shepparton cycling fans were treated to a great performance when he won the blue ribbon event, the Shepparton Wheel race at the Christmas carnival. He also won the Keirin and the scratch on the same day, thrilling the locals who had watched him progress through his years as a junior.

Daniel was awarded the honour of being the Shepparton Sports person of the year.

Daniel was an outstanding junior cyclist who was not able to put the same amount of time into his sport when he moved into senior ranks. He joined the Police Force and is now stationed at the Shepparton police station as a senior constable.

Daniel Thorsen is inducted as a world class junior cyclist into the City of Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame Junior Roll of Honour.