Anton Cooper won't let a tough 2024 stop him from chasing his dreams. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand mountain biker Anton Cooper has just endured the "most difficult" year of his career, but he's determined to get back to the top of the sport.
The Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist battled illness through a large chunk of 2024, dashing his dreams of racing at the Paris Olympics.
The year started well enough, with the 30-year-old cross country rider performing well at the National and Oceania Championships. He was feeling confident heading into the first World Cup rounds in April, knowing they were going to be key for his chances of Olympic selection.
Anton Cooper in action. Photo: ROSS BELL
That's when things started going downhill.
"I felt pretty flat not long after arrival and the races went very poorly over there. I was left searching for answers," Cooper said.
"I had a lot of blood tests, five or six blood tests and I finally found a diagnosis. I had toxoplasmosis. It's a parasitic infection."
Toxoplasmosis can cause a range of symptoms, including flu-like illness, with muscle aches, prolonged fever and weakness.
It hit Cooper hard and ruined his hopes of competing at the Paris Games.
"It takes quite a long time to recover from and my symptoms were basically fatigue, fevers, headaches, swollen glands, all those kind of things that aren't great as an athlete. I had chest pain when I raced as well. There were a lot frustrating symptoms and a lot of uncertainty," Cooper said.
"So getting a diagnosis was great, but also mean 'oh crap', this is something that's going to take a little bit of time and is not a quick fix. I has to pull out of the World Champs.
"I didn't get selected for Olympics. And even if I had got selected, I wouldn't have been in any shape to race. So, yeah it was frustrating year. Maybe the most difficult of my career."
Cooper, who finished sixth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, came back from Europe to recover and managed to get back on the World Cup circuit later in the year.
"I returned home in or in middle of August and started training again. I managed to get back for the last two World Cups of the year and then race those on about two or three weeks training. Obviously I got my ass kicked, but it was nice to finish the year with a race."
The 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who won silver at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast, believes he's finally put his fight with toxoplasmosis behind him.
"I had a little bit of break that since that race (the final World Cup round in Canada in October). I've just been training and trying to build some form. I feel fairly healthy again, which is a great sign. I also feel like I can train as hard as I used to be able to, so that's all really positive. I just need to now build through our summer so that when I reach the first World Cups next year I'm in fighting shape.
"I've got nationals in February and Oceania's in March. I might do a couple other local events around and really fine tune myself again before I do get back to the World Cups because they're quite a step up."
Cooper won silver at the 2018 Comm Games behind New Zealand teammate Sam Gaze. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport Ltd 2018
Cooper suffered through some "dark times" before and after he was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, but he's adamant he never thought about quitting the sport he loves.
"Definitely not. Every time there is a setback it adds a little bit of fuel to the fire. I want to be racing at the highest level in the world and that's what motivates me.
"Those big World Cups, the World Champs, the Olympics, that sort of event that really makes me want to race and still do what I do. I'm competitive at heart, but I live for the big moments."
He said when he eventually does retire, he wants it to be on his own terms.
"I'm just determined to not let it end like that (due to illness or injury). There's no way I can stop this journey right now. I've come too far and gone through too much to let go of it."
With that in mind, competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is Cooper's long term aim.
"Certainly. LA's the major goal for the next four years and probably the big goal of my career. I'll be pretty disappointed if I don't make another Olympics or get the chance to go again."
He's confident time is on his side, though he knows the 2028 Games will be his last shot at attending an Olympics.
"In LA, I'll be 33, 34 years old, it's still a pretty prime age for a mountain bike athlete, so I've got a good chance. But it's my last chance as well. So, yeah I need to be in good form there."
Anton Cooper has the 2028 Olympics in his sights. Photo: Armin Kuestenbrueck/Cannondale
Cooper was disappointed mountain biking won't be at the scaled down 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but understands the organisers decision to cut the event.
"It is a shame. The Comm Games is a chance where mountain bike and these other sports can be mainstream and shine in the moment. I have great memories from Glasgow in 2014, and I'd love to have gone back to Glasgow and try win another gold," Cooper said.
"Wherever the Comm Games end up and whatever shape or form they take in 2030, I really hope to be there as it would be my last Comm Games. Hopefully mountain biking's a big part of it."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
