GRAPEVINE, Texas — A Grapevine Police bike officer won a gold medal in cycling at the 2023 World Police and Fire Games this month.
Officer Brent Hartsell says it wasn’t too long ago that he was out of shape and in need of exercise.
In 2017, the teenage daughter of fallen Grapevine officer Darren Medlin asked for volunteers for a bike ride to Austin in her father’s honor. Hartsell signed up.
“Went and bought my first bike that year from a local bike shop,” he said. “Went and rode 6 miles and ended up throwing up.”
He’s part of the department’s bike unit but mostly uses it as needed or for special events. The Austin ride led to more practice, group rides and eventually regular races. He’s now logging up to 250 miles a week on his road bike.
“I get a lot of friends who say like, ‘man, I don’t even like to be in the car that long,’” he said.
This month, he and other North Texas officers headed to the Police and Fire World Games in Winnipeg, Canada using a Fort Worth police bike trailer to carry their bikes.
“When we got into Canada people would stop us or look at us when we’re driving on the road, roll down the window and were like, ‘Did you guys take a wrong turn?’” Hartsell said, joking.
More than 8,500 athletes from departments around the world competed in different events from cycling to archery and more.
Hartsell raced in a roughly 15-mile time trial race averaging 27 miles per hour and ended up winning gold. It’s the department’s first medal since 1988 when now-retired Captain Ron Hudson won for track.
“You’re elated,” Hartsell said about winning. “You’re kind of stunned, and it doesn’t always sink into you right away. You get onto that podium and you’re like, ‘Wow this is cool’ with all the different countries here and getting to hold your flag.”
Other local departments that won medals include Fort Worth Police, Cleburne Fire, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office and Dallas Fire.
Grapevine used pedal-assisted e-bikes, much different than the time trial road bikes Hartsell is usually riding.
“They’re not as cool as the motorcycles,” Hartsell said. “But they’re a little bit more friendly.”
Even as an officer, Hartsell says he and other cyclists deal constantly with cars driving too close. He recently got hit by a side mirror.
“You got a car coming by you at 50 to 60 miles per hour this close,” Hartsell said holding his fingers just inches apart. “It gets a little scary. It makes you worried.”
His plan is to keep training and compete when the games happen again in 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
In the meantime, if you see Hartsell on the road, don’t bother starting a chase.
“They’re a little heavier than a mountain bike,” he said. “But I wouldn’t bet myself outrunning one.”