King Helps Aussies to Team Pursuit Title in NZ

WAIS scholarship athlete Isabella King has formed part of the gold medal winning Australian women’s team pursuit squad at the weekend’s Track World Cup in New Zealand.

It was a close battle with Canada in the final but the Australian team of world champions Ashlee Ankudinoff and Amy Cure, along with King and Georgia Baker claimed gold in 4mins 18.213secs.

“It was a really close battle out there,” said Cure. “We knew it was going to be tough so we just had to stick to our schedule. The last couple of laps we were just racing them and we knew they were up the whole time.

“To get across the finish line and look up and see number one was very special for all of us.”

Australia took the early advantage and led by four tenths of a second after the opening kilometre before Canada clawed their way back to lead by less than a tenth at the half way point. It was then Australia who turned the tables back in the third kilometre before holding their narrow advantage to the line.

For Baker the victory had a special meaning with today being her late father’s birthday. “It is special to all of us, especially to wear these black bands. We all went out there and wanted to do it for Pat, and we did that,” added Cure.

In round one Australia posted a time of 4mins 18.596secs, over five seconds faster than New Zealand to earn their spot in the ride off for the gold medal.

WAIS athlete and 2015 team pursuit world champion Mel Hoskins along with fellow rainbow jersey world champion recipient Annette Edmondson were both members of the women’s endurance squad for Australia, as the team experimented with their combinations to continue boosting talent depth in the event.  

Home nation New Zealand were too strong in the race for bronze taking the final spot on the podium in 4mins 23.011secs over the United States.

-CyclingAus (photo credit: Dianne Manson)