Young Auckland rider adds to Kiwi medal haul

UCI Juniors Trtack Cycling World Championships – Day 3

Auckland rider Madeleine Park backed up from her rainbow jersey yesterday to win a bronze medal on the third day of the UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Park, 16, from St Kentigern College won the bronze medal in the women’s 2000m individual pursuit, venturing back to the velodrome after riding in three team pursuits on the way to the world title yesterday.
The national junior record holder, who broke Sarah Ulmer’s long-standing mark earlier this year, qualified third fastest in 2:26.627 to earn a bronze medal ride-off against Ireland’s Josie Knight.

The young New Zealander had to dig deep in a close encounter, leading by just 6/100ths of a second at the 1km mark, edging half a second clear before the Irish rider fought back. Park prevailed in 2:27.710, which was 15.100ths of a second ahead of her opponent.

“The highlight was Maddy Park who bounced back after three tough team pursuit rides,” said coach Ross Machejefski. “It was a big effort backing up for her, and very exciting considering she is a first year junior and eligible again next year.”

Teammate Holly White (Auckland) finished 11^th.

It brings New Zealand’s tally to five medals, equal the total number for the last two years and from one of the smallest teams, with only eight riders venturing to Kazakhstan.

More medals beckon tomorrow with outstanding Palmerston North rider Campbell Stewart lying in joint first place after the first day of the omnium.

Stewart, who won the gold medal in the scratch race earlier in the week, is equal on points with Australian Rohan Wight midway through the competition.

He was 10^th in the scratch race, after a small group put a lap on the field, before fighting back to finish fifth fastest in the 3000m individual pursuit, and then won the exciting elimination race.

“Campbell showed his class in a chaotic elimination race to move to first equal overall in the omnium competition,” said Machejefski. “He has two of his stronger events tomorrow with the Kilo and Flying Lap and then we will re-evaluate from there with the points race to finish.”

Taupo’s Lewis Eccles produced an impressive effort to finish sixth in the men’s 1000m time trial, clocking a personal best 1:04.448.

“Lewis was great to watch in the kilo. He put himself really deep in a great ride for a 1:04 for his sixth placing. He will be encouraged for his sprint programme tomorrow.”

Team sprint silver medallists Olivia Podmore (Canterbury) and Emma Cumming (Southland) finished seventh and 12^th respectively in the individual sprint. Podmore clocked 11:304, unofficially under the current national junior record, and Cumming 11.792, both personal bests.

Both won through their first round before being beaten in the second round. Podmore fought back to win her second round repechage but was beaten in two straight rides in the quarterfinal against the top qualifier Emma Hinze (Germany).

The Canterbury rider finished seventh overall in the fifth to eight place ride-off.

Tomorrow Stewart completes the men’s omnium, Auckland’s Bryony Botha begins the women’s omnium, Eccles tackles the men’s sprint with Michaela Drummond in the scratch race.

Day 3 results:
Women Sprint, qualifying: Emma Hinze (GER) 11.270, 1; Olivia Podmore (NZL) 11.304, 2; Courtney Field (AUS) 11.323, 3. Also: Emma Cumming (NZL) 11.792, 12.
Round 1: Podmore bt Kollyn St George (TRI), Cumming bt Soohyun Kim (Kor). Round 2: Hinze bt Cumming, JuliVerdugo (MEX) bt Podmore. Repechage 1: Podmore 1, Tahlay Christie (AUS) 2, S Kankovska (CZE) 3. Repecage 2: Pauline Grabosch (GER) 1, Cumming 2, Brooke Tucker (AUS) 3.
Quarterfinal:  Hinze bt Podmore 2-0. Fifth to eighth places: Grabosch 5, J Jagodzinska (POL) 6, Podmore 7, H van de Wouw (NED) 8.
Women 2000m individual pursuit, qualifying: Justyna Kaczkowska (POL) 2:25.006, 1; Marion Borras (FRA) 2:26.081, 2; Madeleine Park (NZL) 2:26.627, 3; Josie Knight (IRE) 2:26.631, 4. Also: Holly White (NZL) 2:29.273, 11.
Gold medal ride: Kaczkowska 2:25.684, 1; Borras 2:26.170, 2. Bronze medal ride: Park 2:27.564, 3; Knight 2:27.710, 4.
Women 20km Points: D Pikulik (POL) 23 points, 1; Y Kajihara (JPN) 19, 2; K Selina (RUS) 13, 3. Also: M Michaela Drummond (NZL) dnf.
Men 1000m time trial: Jiri Janosek (CZE) 1:02.200, 1; Alexandr Vasyukhno (RUS) 1:02.678, 2; Cameron Scott (AUS) 1:03.417, 3. Also: Lewis Eccles (NZL) 1:04.448, 6.
Men Omnium, Scratch race: Bayley Simpson (CAN) 1, Gavin Hoover (USA) 2, Assylkhan Turar (KAZ) 3. Also: Campbell Stewart 10. 3000m individual pursuit: Rohan Wight (AUS) 3:19.670, 1; Dawid Czubak (POL) 3:23.208, 2; Max Kanter (GER) 3:23.216, 3. Also: Stewart 3:25.046, 5. Elimination Race: Stewart 1, Sergey Rostovtsev (RUS) 2, Kanter 3.
Points after 3 of 6 events: Stewart and Wight 94 points, equal 1; Kanter 90, 3.

Details: www.cyclingnewzealand.co.nz