WAIS Cyclists Shine at Oceania Track Champs
Australia has cleaned up on the opening night of the 2013 Oceania Track Championships winning eight of a possible 12 gold medals at the Adelaide Super-Drome.
In the women’s team pursuit, Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), London Olympic omnium bronze medallist Annette Edmondson (SA) and WAIS athlete Isabella King were convincing winners, defeating New Zealand by ten seconds to win gold.
The trio posted a time of 3mins 23.812secs to beat the NZ team of Sequoia Cooper, Gemma Dudley and Alysha Keith (3:33.100).
“There is plenty more to come where that came from we hope,” said Ankudinoff, who claimed both the omnium and team pursuit silver medals at last weeks Glasgow round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Series. “I’m over the moon it’s the first time we have ridden as a team together.”
Later in the evening, Ankudinoff claimed her second gold in the women’s 10km scratch race where she defeated King and Edmondson respectively.
The Australian under 19 women’s combination of Josie Talbot (NSW), and the WAIS pair of Kelsey Robson and Elissa Wundersitz were too strong for NZ, winning bronze (3:27.595).
Australia enjoyed a clean sweep of the under 19 women’s 500m time trial with WAIS scholarship holder Tian Beckett claiming gold (35:699), Tennille Falappi (QLD) silver (37:016) and Victoria’s Emily Apolito taking home the bronze medal (37:596).
The under 19 men’s omnium also got underway on day one, with WAIS athlete Sam Welsford claiming the first round ‘Flying Lap’ event over Nick Kergozou (NZ) second and Bradley Heffernan (NSW) third.
Round two saw Matthew Holmes (SA) win the points race over Joshua Harrison and another WAIS scholarship holder in Theodore Yates, while in the ‘Elimination Race’ third round, South Australia’s Josh Harrison won ahead of Michael Rice (ACT) and Bradley Heffernan (NSW).
The 2013 Oceania Track Championships will be held from November 28 – December 1 at the Adelaide Super-Drome.
Thursday’s action will see finals in the men and women’s individual pursuit, under 19 men’s time trial, omnium, points race and the women’s elite and under 19 keirin as well as the under 19 women’s individual pursuit.
– Cycling Australia