What a week for Mel Pemble! She finished off the 2025 para track world championships in Rio de Janeiro with a gold medal in the WC3 sprint on Sunday. It’s a helluva medal haul for the Victoria native–that marked her fourth podium of the week.
Earlier in the week, Victoria’s Pemble earned bronze in the scratch race. She also snagged silver in the kilo, and silver in the elimination event. With her victory in the sprint, she now holds a whopping 11 world championship medals.
Mel Pemble switched from Para alpine skiing to Para cycling in 2020. It was clear from a young age she had talent. At age 14 when she was identified as a cycling prospect at the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific in Victoria.
Since then, Pemble has become one of the best in the sport. Pemble doubled her haul that she won at the 2024 para cycling track world championships. In Rio, she claimed silver in the 500 m and bronze in the omnium.