The New Zealand has won two medals on the second day of the UCI Junior World Track Championships in Montichari, Italy.
The junior women’s quartet of Ellesse Andrews (Cambridge), Nicole Shields Clyde), Kate Smith (Christchurch) and Emily Shearman (Palmerston North) won the silver medal in the 4000m team pursuit, a repeat of their silver medal performance last year.
The junior men’s combination of Josh Scott (Christchurch), Corbin Strong (Invercargill), Aaron Wyllie (Auckland) and Harry Waine (Auckland) won the bronze medal in their team pursuit ride-off over France.
The junior women had two rides today, producing a superb personal best 4:26.989 to be second fastest behind home favourites Italy (4:26.720) and put them into the final.
Their time was a massive jump on their previous best and well under the previous world record, which was smashed by Italy in the qualifying yesterday.
New Zealand rode a well planned and executed race in the final but there was no denying Italy, in front of their home crowd, who claimed the gold in a repeat of last year’s final.
“We knew there was a time difference between us so we had nothing to lose and just went out to have fun,” Emily Shearman said. “We had PBs all the way through the competition so we had to be happy with that.”
The double ride on the evening programme produced some challenges especially in the heat of the velodrome, which was 33C Deg.
“We knew that was the situation for us and we recovered well. It was really cool to ride so well in the first ride and to be in the final against Italy in their country. It was quite surreal.
“Two silver medals at a world championship in two years is not something to complain about. We are stoked.”
The junior men’s team pursuit had their first round ride yesterday, so had to gear themselves for the bronze medal ride against France tonight, producing another storming finish to claim the bronze medal.
The French combination had a slender advantage through the first half of the race, pushing out to almost a second going into the final 1000m, before the Kiwis unleashed another withering finish to not only catch the French combination but push to a 0.3s buffer at the finish.
They clocked 4:03.044 which was faster than Denmark who were well beaten by Russia in the final.
Earlier Nelson sprinter Shaane Fulton, at 16 years a first year junior, qualified eighth fastest in the individual sprint in 11.730s. She won her first round clash against Russian Polina Vashenko but went out in two straight rides in the quarter final.
Cambridge sprinter Jackson Ogle won his first round of the keirin competition to put him directly into the semifinal. He was brought down in a crash while pushing wide on the final bend and while his injuries were not serious, he was withdrawn from the 7th-12th final.
Ogle is hopeful he will recover sufficiently to take part in the individual sprint competition tomorrow.
Tomorrow the New Zealand team will contend the women’s omnium, men’s sprint, men’s individual pursuit and men’s points race.
Results, day 2:
Junior Women, Sprint qualifying: Mathilde Gros (FRA) 10.709, 1; Lauren Bate-Lowe (GBR) 11.262, 2; Steffie van der Peet (NED) 11.383, 3. Also: Shaane Fulton (NZL) 11.730, 8. Round 1: Fulton bt Polina Vashenko (RUS) (relegated). Quarterfinal: Fulton lost to Gros 2-0.
4000m team pursuit, first round: New Zealand (Ellesse Andrews, Nicole Shields, Kate Smith, Emily Shearman 4:26.989 bt Canada 4:34.902; Italy 4:26.720 bt France 4”32.170; Australia 4:33.246 bt Colombia 4:45.838. Bronze medal ride: France bt Australia. Golf medal ride: Italy bt New Zealand.
Junior men: Keirin, round 1, heat 6: Jackson Ogle (NZL) 1, Spyridon Devaris (GRE) 2. Semifinal: Ogle dnf.
4000m team pursuit, bronze medal ride: New Zealand (Josh Scott, Corbin Strong, Aaron Wyllie, Harry Waine) 4:03.044, 3; France 4:03.309, 4. Gold medal ride: Russian 4:01.675, 1; Denmark 4:03.928, 2.
Republished courtesy Cycling New Zealand