World Champ trio qualify for individual sprint quarterfinals

UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY 3 WRAP

New Zealand’s world champion team sprint trio have a chance of making history on the penultimate day of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong.

The trio of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins, who won the teams print title on the first day, have all won through to the quarterfinals of the individual sprint, which will be decided tomorrow.
New Zealand has won 41 world championship medals in his history but none in the individual sprint, with the closest coming with back-to-back keirin medals by Dawkins in 2015 and 2016 and the same by their coach Anthony Peden in 1999.

The trio provided the highlight of day three with Mitchell giving clear evidence of his burgeoning prowess over one lap when he finished fourth fastest in qualifying in a personal best 9.767s headed by Rio Olympic medallist Denis Dmitriev (RUS) in 9.645.

Webster clocked 9.879s, close to his personal best, to be ninth fastest with Dawkins 9.996s to be 19th.
Webster earned a bye through to the second round while Webster accounted for Theo Bos (NED) and Dawkins beat Vasilijus Lendel (LTU) to go through to the second round.

In the round of 16, Dawkins edged out third fastest qualifier Sebastien Vigier (FRA) by just 1/100th of a second in the sprint finish; Webster overcame European medallist Andrii Vynokurov (UKR) and Mitchell bagged the scalp of six-time world champion Francois Pervis (FRA).

The trio move through to tomorrow’s quarterfinals, to be decided on the best of three rides, with Webster up against last year’s bronze medallist Dmitriev; Dawkins meets Harrie Lavreysen (NED) and Mitchell faces Australia’s Rio silver medallist Matthew Glaetzer.

In other action Nick Kergozou clocked 4:21.333 and Dylan Kennett 4:23.136 to be placed 11th and 15threspectively in the 4000m individual pursuit, won by Australian flyer Jordan Kerby who went 4:12 in the qualifying, only two seconds off the world record.

Regan Gough impressed to finish fifth in the points race, which was won by the inimitable Cameron Meyer (AUS) who won his fourth world title in the discipline, having returned to the track last year.
Manawatu teenager Michaela Drummond was eighth in the women’s omnium in her first elite world championship. She was ninth in the scratch race, eighth in the tempo race, 10th in the elimination and 11th in the points.

The title was won by Scotland’s Katie Archibald, who was a member of Great Britain’s gold medal team pursuit at Rio.

In tomorrow’s action, Webster, Dawkins and Mitchell return to the individual sprint; Natasha Hansen competes in the 500m time trial; Aaron Gate rides in the men’s omnium; Jaime Nielsen and Kirstie James ride the individual pursuit and Racquel Sheath teams with Drummond in the Madison
Results:

Men Individual Sprint, qualifying: Denis Dmitriev (RUS) 9.645, 1; Max Niederlag (GER) 9.665, 2; Sebastien Vigier (FRA) 9.753, 3. Also NZers: Ethan Mitchell 9.767, 4; Sam Webster 9.879, 9; Eddie Dawkins 9.996, 19.

Round 1: Webster bt Theo Bos (NED), Dawkins bt Vasilijus Lendel (LTU), Mitchell bye.

Round 2: Webster bt Andrill Vynokurov (UKR), Dawkins bt Vigier, Michell bt Francois Pervis (FRA).

Individual Pursuit, qualifying: JordanKerby (AUS) 4:12.172, 1; Filipo Ganna (ITA) 4:14.647, 2; Kelland O’Brien (AUS) 4:15.794, 3. Also NZers: Nick Kergozou 4:21.333, 11; Dylan Kennett 4:23.136, 15.
Points Race (40km): Cameron Meyer (AUS) 76 points, 1; Kenny De Ketele (BEL) 40, 2; Wojciech Pszczorarski (POL) 40, 3. Also: Regan Gough (NZL) 24, 5.

Women Omnium (overall): Katie Archibald (GBR) 123 points, 1; Kirsten Wild (GER) 115, 2; Amy Cure (AUS) 115, 3.Also: Michaela Drummond (NZL) 76, 8.

CAPTION: Action from day 3 – Ethan Mitchell beats multi-world champion Francois Pervis (FRA); Sam Webster in action during sprint qualifying and newcomer Michaela Drummond discusses Omnium tactics with coach Brendon Cameron.