Track worlds roundup, day 2: Bobridge, Meares keep Australia on gold track

APELDOORN, Netherlands (AFP) – World record holder Jack Bobridge continued Australia’s domination of the world track cycling championships Thursday when he claimed his maiden pursuit gold medal.

Bobridge, 21, helped Australia to team pursuit gold on Wednesday as his squad defended the title they won last year in Copenhagen.

And the Adelaide sensation, who races on the road for Garmin-Cervelo, finally took an elusive gold in the 4km individual event in a thrilling final with New Zealander Jesse Sergent.

Earlier, Anna Meares teamed up with Kaarle McCulloch to defend the women’s team sprint crown ahead of Britain. It was the pair’s third straight victory in the event, which will make its debut at the London Games in 2012.

After a rather barren first day on Wednesday, Britain finally struck gold when Olympic pursuit silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel helped secure victory in the women’s team event.

Britain also have a chance for gold on Friday when the men’s sprint tournament resumes and concludes.

Sir Chris Hoy, the reigning Olympic champion, faces compatriot Jason Kenny in the first semi-final, with reigning world champion Gregory Bauge facing French compatriot Mickael Bourgain.

The second day of the five-day event belonged, however, to Australia with Bobridge being joined on the podium by bronze medallist Michael Hepburn, who beat compatriot Rohan Dennis in the match for third place.

Bobridge set a time of 4:21.141sec for the 16-lap event while Sergent, the silver medal winner last year, finished over two seconds behind in 4:23.865.

The women’s team sprint will make its debut in London next year, and Meares and McCulloch are determined to carry their impressive form in the two-lap power event all the way to the Games.

“You’ve got to fight so hard to win these things and I guess you could say we’ve been fortunate to win three in a row, but we have worked so hard for three years in a row,” said Meares.

“And we’re not going to stop because this isn’t our goal. Our goal is in 15 months time and that’s (the) London (Olympics).”

With both the men’s and women’s individual pursuit events now non-Olympic, the focus in the next year will turn to the team events.

Although the Australian women won the event in Copenhagen last year, they could only finish fourth as the British trio of Laura Trott, Houvenaghel and Danielle King dominated world record holders the United States in the final.

“It’s fantastic,” said Northern Irishwoman Houvenaghel.

“It’s really special. It’s incredible to be on that top spot on the podium again and that’s where we want to stay.

“It’s so encouraging. These girls have come a long way in a short space of time and over the next 16 months there’s a lot of leeway to improve a lot more and I’m very excited about the prospect of us performing in London.”

FILED UNDER: News / Track TAGS: UCI Track World Championships