Lauren Ellis won’t be seen on the cycling track this year. Photo Tetsuro MitomoMid Canterbury’s Olympic cyclist Lauren Ellis has put her sport on hold to have a baby.

Ellis and her partner Tim Burtenshaw are expecting the arrival of a baby boy at the end of November.

She will miss the Commonwealth Games in April next year but has plans to be back on the bike for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

Ellis, 28, said she was in full training for the elite track world championships in Hong Kong in April when she found out she was pregnant.

“I had to pull out just before worlds after speaking to the doctor.

“It was the right decision as morning sickness really hit me the week that I was supposed to fly out.

“It was really hard the first four months.

“My morning sickness was quite bad and lasted all day and night.”

She has since put her bike aside and is concentrating on study before the baby’s due date on November 22.

Ellis was in Ashburton for a baby shower recently to share the news.

“It was my first time down in a while so it was great to see everyone again.

“I got some really cute clothes and toys.

“It made it start to feel like it was really real as I could share it all with my friends and family.”

Excitement levels in their household are rising as well as in Hinds, where Ellis’ parents Megan and Brian live.

“Tim is really excited. It’s practically all we talk about now.

“That used to be cycling.”

The couple have been going to baby expos and events and will take life, plus one, step-by-step.

They are currently living in Tamahere, between Hamilton and Cambridge.

“My original aim was to get back to fitness in time for the Commonwealth Games, but since they are in April it’s not realistic to get to top form by then. I wouldn’t want to just make up the numbers.”

Ellis said her plan was to steadily build up fitness and get used to life with a baby before Tokyo.

It will be her third Olympics.

She competed in London in 2012 and at Rio last year, as a member of the women’s pursuit team and as an individual in the omnium – posting fourth placings in both.

She represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and in Delhi in 2010, where she won a silver medal in the points race.

She says Tokyo is her only aim at the moment.

“I knew after Rio that I had unfinished business.

“Being so close to a medal was hard. I learnt a lot over the past four years of what works and more importantly what doesn’t.

“I’m certain I can do better next time as I will be more concentrated on what I need.

“I just need to work on getting back in the team in time.

“I’m looking forward to having a little cheer squad in Tokyo.”

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 12 September 2017