Taking out the Women's Motocross World Championship for the fourth time has been made even more special for Courtney Duncan because it's the first time her greatest supporter was trackside.
"That is the first world title my mum has witnessed that I've won so it is really special," Duncan told 1News.
"The most emotional part was crossing the finish line and giving your mum a hug like five seconds after you win the title — that's what dreams are made of."
"Twenty years ago my mum was sacrificing so much to give me those sorts of opportunities to put me in this position today. To think we've been able to achieve this, it is hard to comprehend it," Duncan said.
The 27-year-old had a 16-point lead heading into the final weekend in Turkey. With the title all but guaranteed she made a call to her mum back home in Palmerston, telling her to jump on a plane.
"I called her and I said 'mum like you need to get to the airport on Tuesday! I will book you a flight!'
"'I'm racing for a world title. I'm going to win a world title and I want you to be here for it.'"
Duncan was unstoppable in race one. She beat the closest rider by 10 seconds and extended her lead to 21 points.
"The first race I hung around the truck a wee bit," Duncan's mum Linda admitted.
"She didn't watch me at all!" Duncan laughed.
"She came all the way to Turkey, and she sat in the truck crying!"
But the nerves were even greater in race two. All Duncan needed was to bank four points to secure a World Championship crown. She did it, cruising to a second place finish.
"I knew she would do it but once she crossed that line it was very emotional actually," mum Linda said.
Duncan's comeback has been labelled her "redemption year". After winning consecutive world titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021, last season was a write off for the Kiwi rider after breaking her collar bone.
"Sometimes the biggest disappointments in life lead to your biggest blessings and I mean it doesn't get anymore truthful than that. Last year was almost like a slap in the face and just a reality check that things needed to change, and I needed to be better," Duncan said.
Her best season to date is a testament to that, bagging the record for the most Grand Prix wins ever by a female rider, and now a fourth world title.
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