British teen rides across Australia to set new record

A teenager from Bodmin has set a new fastest time for a child crossing Australia by bicycle. Si-am Juntakereket, who had his 14^th birthday midway through his trip, rode the 2,768 miles from Sydney to Perth in 29 days.

Si-am beat the current record by two weeks and his own schedule by a day, despite having to take 24 hours off to get medical treatment for insect bites. (His mother, Tania Jeffery, shadowed her son in a rented Land Rover, providing support.)

The ride will not however be accredited by Guinness World Records as the family said they did not want to spend £500 on the fee. The money will instead go to charity.

Money raised will go to United Response, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities, and Comic Relief. You can donate via a Virgin Money Giving page.

Si-am was inspired to undertake the challenge by endurance athlete Bob Brown, who began the ride alongside him.

Brown, a teacher at St Petroc's Primary School in Bodmin, was the first person to do the Australian "double" after crossing the country as both a runner and a cyclist, and also won the California to New York ultra-marathon, fuelling himself with Cornish pasties.

To train for his trip, Si-am has been getting up at 6am each morning to ride on his turbo before school before putting in a few more hours upon arriving home later in the day.

Si-am’s stepfather, Simon Gillett, who stayed behind to look after Si-am's 15-year-old sister, Lili-keau, told the Express: "It was arduous and gruelling but he has kept his spirits high. Si-am and Tania have met some fantastic people along the way and had a brilliant time. They've been doing it all by themselves with a map.

"They're relieved to have got to the end. Si-am is so pleased that he's done it – he wants to keep on going.”

Gillett said that Si-am had struggled with the hilly start near Sydney and didn't think he was going to be able to make it, “but within a week he was feeling stronger.”

He said his stepson couldn’t wait to get home now. “He's trying to decide what he wants me to cook for him when he gets back – roast lamb or lasagne.”