To the world, Melissa Hoskins was a champion Olympic cyclist who proudly represented Australia.
But to older sister Jessica Locke, she was simply her “goofball” best friend who loved cooking and listening to music.
Speaking at Ms Hoskins’ funeral in Perth this week, Ms Locke cried as she paid tribute to her sister, who died December 30 after her husband, fellow professional athlete Rohan Dennis, allegedly struck her with a luxury car outside their $2.45m home in Adelaide.
“I already feel so lost and lonely without you,” Ms Locke wept.
“I have so many beautiful memories that I will cherish forever.
“We had the best childhood growing up in the bush in Lesmurdie.
“It’s safe to say that both Melissa and I were competitive from a very young age.”
Ms Locke recalled how they would race around on their mountain bikes, jump off stairs in their rollerblades, bounce on a trampoline and spend hours seeing who could do the most laps in the pool without taking a breath.
“Sometimes I had to beg Melissa to play with me because she was off playing with her imaginary friend, Danielle,” she said, drawing laughs from fellow mourners.
Ms Locke also recalled one time when she visited her younger sister in Spain.
“We had so much fun — we obviously woke up with hangovers … while we were having such a great time the night before, we had completely missed our flight to Nice by a whole day,” she said.
“As stressful as it was at the time trying to get another flight, it was worth it for the great night that we had.”
Ms Locke said she and her sister had a music playlist together and vowed she would continue to add to it.
She also said Vegemite and honey on toast would now be called “the Melissa breakfast”.
Ms Locke also promised to care for Ms Hoskins’ two young children.
“I look forward to watching your beautiful babies … grow up,” she said.
“Every time I look at them I see you, they were so lucky to have you as their mum.”
The sisters were so close that Ms Hoskins even had “Jess” tattooed on her foot.
“Melissa wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Ms Locke said.
“She would want us to remember her for the funny, happy goofball that she was.”
Ms Locke said it had been the most difficult two weeks of her life.
“I will remember her as my best friend, my sister, an aunty, a mother and a daughter,” she said.
More than 100 people gathered at the West Chapel at Fremantle Cemetery on Wednesday to farewell Ms Hoskins.
Mr Dennis was among the mourners but he entered via a side entrance, rather than showing up with the rest of the family alongside the white hearse and pale wooden casket adorned with sunflowers.
He did not have a speaking role in the service and mostly sat solemnly close to the front of the chapel with his children.
Mr Dennis placed rosemary on the casket, but did so after other family members, including Ms Hoskins’ parents and sister.
After the service, he again left via a different door, flanked by supporters and carrying one of his children.
A memorial service will also be held in Adelaide after the Tour Down Under cycling event.
Mr Dennis, a former world champion cyclist and Olympian, has been charged with causing his wife’s death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life.
The 33-year-old, who is yet to enter pleas to the charges, is on bail and is scheduled to face Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 13.
Police have not revealed details of Ms Hoskins’ death, but it has been reported she allegedly jumped onto the bonnet of the $70,000 dark grey 2022 Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6 and grabbed at a door handle before the vehicle drove off and she fell to the ground.
It is further alleged she may have been dragged along by the vehicle, with the incident captured on a neighbour’s security camera.
Ms Hoskins and Mr Dennis married in February 2018, with their son born later that year, followed by their daughter in 2021.
The 32-year-old represented Australia at the London and Rio Olympics, and she won gold in the women’s team pursuit at the 2015 World Championships.