Milligan鈥檚 Megan Jastrab excited to represent her country as the youngest Team USA Cycle member
MILLIGAN, Tenn. (BVM) — While other athletes her age are preparing for their next collegiate season, Milligan University cyclist Megan Jastrab is getting ready for the biggest stage in all of athletics: the Olympics. The 19-year-old was named a member of the USA Cycle team on June 1 and will participate in Team Pursuit and Madison cycling events when the team begins competing in Tokyo in August.
鈥淚 held it together on the phone, but as soon as I hung up the phone I started sobbing,鈥� Jastrab said. 鈥淸There were] so many emotions for a year and a half. Two buildups to the Olympics and two buildups to selections, one that didn鈥檛 happen in 2020 and this one. 鈥� The relief of hearing, 鈥榊ou made it, you鈥檙e going to Tokyo鈥� will always be something I remember and cherish.鈥�
As the youngest member of the U.S. women鈥檚 cycling team, Jastrab understands there will be high expectations as well as an element of unknown to her abilities.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had a lot of experience in elites in an international field because I鈥檝e been restricted to racing until I turned 18 so I got two races in 2020, so with the age restrictions it was a little tough to get experience,鈥� Jastrab said. 鈥淭he competitors are different, but the race is the same so I鈥檓 just going in with an open mindset and just going to try to find my groove once I get out there.鈥�
If there is anything for certain, it鈥檚 Jastrab鈥檚 abilities on a bike. During her first season at Milligan in 2020, Jastrab was the collegiate national champion in the Individual Pursuit (3K) and set the track record at Giordana Velodrome at the event. That same season, she also led the Buffs to a collegiate national championship in the Women’s Team Pursuit, solidifying her place as one of the top college bikers in the entire country.
鈥淚 think it was a lot of fun because we ended up winning team pursuit which was like the first time that one of these schools, Marian University, hadn鈥檛 won for like seven years in a row so that was really exciting,鈥� Jastrab said. 鈥淲inning as a team is such a different feeling than winning as an individual. Everyone puts their heart into it, you can give your best for each other and I feel you can go a bit deeper when you鈥檙e with teammates so that was a great feeling for the school.鈥�
In addition to her strong collegiate performances, the cyclist was also able to make a national impression in her junior career as she won three world championships and 29 national championships. Currently a professional, Jastrab has recently returned to road racing after over 600 days away due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淧art of it was a blessing I would say because I was only 18 last year and now I鈥檓 19 so the extra year to develop and mature, to handle the stress physically, my capability went up several steps so the extra year was a help for me to make the team,鈥� Jastab said. 鈥淸The road race] was really nice. I love road racing, that鈥檚 my main discipline not track. 鈥� The expectations were to go out and have a good training day, be safe and go through the motions again so that was really nice.鈥�
Originally from Apple County, Calif., Jastrab鈥檚 journey to the Olympics is a unique one, as most Olympic 海角社区 are. With the NCAA not sanctioning cycling, the athlete鈥檚 ability to compete with fellow cyclists her age while maintaining her junior career was threatened. However, through her connections in the industry, Jastrab learned that Milligan University, an NAIA school in Tennessee, had a strong program that would allow her not only to compete at the college level, but to continue to pursue her professional goals as well.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not too many collegiate DI cycling schools so it kind of dwindles down to what major you want to go to, where your friends go, word of mouth and word of mouth is kind of the main thing,鈥� Jastrab said. 鈥淚 was kind of hesitant to go to Tennessee, I don鈥檛 know why I just didn鈥檛 want to move all the way across the country, but once I got out there it鈥檚 beautiful riding, the people are lovely, the school is great, the team is amazing, everything worked out.鈥�
Now, Jastrab will join five other women’s track cyclists that will represent Team USA in Tokyo. The junior Buff will also hold the distinction of being the first known Milligan University athlete to compete in the Olympics, While finishing well and winning gold are obviously the biggest goals for the young athlete, Jastrab is satisfied with being able to represent her country, her school and her community and is excited to be wearing the red, white and blue on the national stage.
鈥淏eing able to represent Team USA on the big athletic stage is something that I鈥檝e dreamed of since I was a little girl,鈥� Jastrab said. 鈥淚 think representing anyone, my family, team, school, country, myself having that all there and thinking about all the support I鈥檝e had over the years, anyone who’s ever supported me, it feels great to kind of pay them back and showing where their support has gotten me.鈥�
Currently practicing at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jastrab and the team will train for a couple more weeks before training on a more standard, sea-level in Los Angeles before leaving for Tokyo. Jastrab will first compete on Aug. 2 when she joins teammates Chlo茅 Dygert, Jannifer Valente, Emma White and Lily Williams for the Team Pursuit Qualifying event. She will then represent Team USA in the Madison, alongside Valente, on August 6.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely hit me,鈥� Jastrab said of her Olympic experience. 鈥淢ost things like registration, the email, seeing what we鈥檙e getting, getting the Olympic cycling kit, everything started adding up especially with teammates reminding you and realizing whenever the Madison [roster] came out I鈥檓 an Olympian forever now. [It鈥檚] Just an amazing experience.
