Meyer Sparkles as WA Returns #TrackNats Medal Haul

Western Australia has completed a successful campaign at the 2017 Australian Track Championships in Brisbane returning 17 medals across senior and U19 ranks.

Fresh from a win for WA in the men’s team pursuit on day one, Cameron Meyer and Sam Welsford both added individual track titles to their collection, in the men’s points race and scratch race respectively.

The pair will both likely earn selection for Australia’s track team to compete at April’s world titles in Hong Kong – with the men’s endurance program steeped with world championship winning quality.

As a three time world champion in the points race, Meyer sparkled in his return to domestic track competition after a seven year lay-off, dominating throughout the 40km event, claiming the championship in commanding fashion.

Meyer lapped the field four times and was razor sharp in execution of his tactical manoeuvers as he dug deep to win a maiden national title in his pet event.

 

“It was exciting being out there, and I’m sure there’s going to be some major highlights coming up on this track with the Commonwealth Games and maybe some more National Championships. I’m looking forward to returning, and yeah I love it here.”

The depth in Australia’s men’s track endurance was again on show with Joshua Harrison (SA), Kelland O’Brien (VIC), Jordan Louis (NSW) and Rohan Wight (SA) among those ripping apart the bunch taking laps during the middle of the race.

With legs starting to pay the price due to the attacking race, the final 30 laps saw the bunch focus on picking up points in the sprint.

With Meyer and Harrison secure in their gold and silver medal positions ahead of the final sprint, all eyes were on the battle for bronze between Welsford and O’Brien. The speed of Welsford was too much for the Victorian as Welsford took the 10 points on the final double points sprint to seal bronze.

It continued an amazing comeback to the track for Meyer who in the past few months, has won the points race at the Glasgow World Cup, Madison National title and finished on the podium at Six Day London at the end of last year.

“Yeah, it’s been a quick comeback and I’m really pleased the way it has gone. To come away with two national titles this week and a silver medal, it really sets me up well for the World Championships coming up in a month’s time.

“I think so, we’ll try and stay on it for as long as I can,” Meyer added of his continuing track ambitions. “I’m really looking forward to what the future holds on the track.

“It was exciting being out there, and I’m sure there’s going to be some major highlights coming up on this track with the Commonwealth Games, and maybe some more National Championships. I’m looking forward to returning, and yeah I love it here.”

The points race success, added to the individual pursuit silver medal Meyer earned behind national champion Jordan Kerby.

In the men’s scratch race, team pursuit world champion Sam Welsford unleashed his powerful sprint to win the national title and claim his second gold of the week.

The depth in Australia’s men’s track endurance was on display with riders on the attack throughout the 60-lap race with no chance for any respite.

“It was epic, everyone was on their knees after 20 laps. I think Cam Meyer had a game plan to hurt the field out there and I think he accomplished that,” Welsford said of his West Australian teammate and the 2010 Commonwealth Games Champion.

Kelland O’Brien claimed his third medal of the championships with silver, while individual pursuit champion Jordan Kerby completed the podium in bronze.

In the U19 sprint, Matthew Richardson completed a double, adding the individual sprint crown to the earlier team sprint title he won with WA.

Richardson bested Victorian Tylah Meunier 2-0 in the gold medal round, breaking the 11 second barrier in the first race before completing a clean sweep in race two.

In a busy campaign of U19 racing, there were also individual medal successes for Kye Bonser (1km time trial), Tyler Lindorff (points race/individual pursuit) and Jade Haines (keirin/individual pursuit/scratch race), whilst the U19 men’s team pursuit picked up a bronze medal.

Tahlay Christie competed well to win a first individual medal in senior classification, taking bronze in the 500m time trial to go with the team sprint bronze she earlier earned in the week with Rihanna Pezaj. Christie also made the final of the keirin and reached the quarter-final stage of the women’s sprint.

Further and detailed results can be viewed here.

Photo, quotes and additional reporting sourced from CyclingAus