Welsford Wins Dual World Championship Gold

Sam Welsford has produced an incredible performance to win two gold medals in the space of 30 minutes at the 2019 UCI Track World Championships in Poland.

The 23 year-old was a member of the Australian men’s team pursuit squad that won gold in world record time, before he jumped back on his bike to claim a second medal and fourth career rainbow jersey in the men’s Scratch Race.

The performances add to an ever expanding list of career achievements that now mark the Western Australian as one of the finest track endurance riders of his generation. And he’s not finished yet. The 2016 WAIS Athlete of the Year still has the Omnium to compete in as he challenges for an historic triple crown.

How it Happened

Welsford and the Australian men’s team pursuit squad blitzed their own world record, along with the title defence of Great Britain in the process. In doing so, they set an ominous benchmark ahead of next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Australians had opened a narrow margin over the first 500m which they continued to stretch lap by lap. By the time GB attempted to surge, it was too late and the move cost the defending champion a rider as the Australians by contrast kept to a steady schedule.

With the race for gold effectively over in the final kilometre, the Australians instead targeted the clock and were able to dip well below their existing world record by eclipsing the 3:49.804min mark set at the Commonwealth Games to a time that now stands at 3mins 48.012secs.

Welsford was joined on the podium by Kelland O’Brien, Alex Porter, Leigh Howard and Cameron Scott (qualifying round)

With next to no time to let the emotion register, Welsford was back on the boards and competing in the scratch race where a typically late burst – reminiscent of his title on the Gold Coast in 2018 – earned him a first career world championship title in the event.

Kiwi Thomas Sexton held ascendency with a lap remaining but as the bunch moved, one man made the most of the momentum, leading Welsford to another memorable moment. Dutchman Roy Eefting scored silver with Sexton holding on for bronze.

Reaction

Sam Welsford –

“It has been a crazy thirty minutes, I am gobsmacked,” a shocked Welsford said. “To do a forty-eight with my boys Kel, Cam, Leigh, Porter, that’s the best thing I could ever imagine.

“To break our own world record and leading into the Olympics next year is bloody awesome.

“The icing on the cake is the win in the scratch race. It’s a dream come true for us.

Tim Decker (coach) –

“I’m a bit emotional,” revealed Decker. “It’s been a fantastic night and we probably exceeded our expectations in regard to time in the TP.

“We came in here with a real focus to nail our ride and try to execute a good, skilled ride and try to find a way to make it happen and give those guys a chance to chase the rainbow bands and they were hungry to chase.

“Yesterday we had a few challenges thrown at us, but we made our way into the final but they brought it together and came away with a pretty magical time.”

Kelland O’Brien –

“I am lost for words, this team is proving to be more and more special every time we come together.”