CWG cycling: Australia sweep all three golds on offer on opening day
By IANSTuesday, October 5, 2010
NEW DELHI - Led by three-time world champion and Athens Olympic gold medallist Anna Maree Meares, Australia began their cycling campaign at the 19th Commonwealth Games on a high winning all the three gold medals on offer and setting Games records in each of the events here Tuesday.
The Australian contingent made a strong statement on the opening day itself with three gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the Cycling Velodrome at Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex.
Meares, one of the international stars to visit Delhi, timed 33.758 secs in women’s 500 metre time trial event and in the process went past her previous Commonwealth record mark of 34.326 seconds that she achieved in Melbourne, 2006.
Her compatriot, 18-year-old Kaarle McCulloch finished clocking 34.780 while James Becky of Wales was third (35.236 seconds).
In the men’s 1 km time trial, Scott Sunderland clocked 1 minute:01.411 seconds for the gold, and made a Commonwealth Games record. He erased legendary Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy’s mark of 1minute:01.726 seconds achieved in Manchester in 2002. Hoy is one of the top international stars to skip the Delhi Games.
Malaysian Tisin Mohd Rizal came second (1 min:02.768), grabbing his country’s first commonwealth cycling medal. James Dawkins Edward (1 min:02.768) came third.
In the day’s last final, Jack Bobridge won gold in 4000 metre men’s individual pursuit.
Bobridge set a new Games record in the qualifying heat with a timing of 4 minute:14.845 seconds and in the finals clocking 4 minute:17.495 seconds for the first place. He edged out silver medallist Jesse Harold Sergeant of New Zealand. The two are fierce competitors and in the World Track Cycling Championships, Harold won the silver beating Bobridge.
“The competition was tough and it feels good to be one up against him (Harold) this time,” said Brobridge.
Australia’s Michael Hepburn settled for the bronze.
“It has been a very successful day for Australia. To pick up three medals in the opening day is a big morale booster for the entire team,” said Meares.
In cycling there is a total of 14 gold medal at stake and Meares said Australia is eyeing to win 11 of them. “There is a lot of passion in the team and it was possibly the best start to kick off our campaign,” she said.
