UCI PARA-CYCLING TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAY 3 WRAP RIO DE JANEIRO
The New Zealand Para-cycling team moved into double figures in medals with three further podiums the penultimate day of competition at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Brazil today.
The five-strong kiwi contingent won three medals on the first day and four yesterday, adding a further three medals to continue their superb form at Rio de Janeiro.
Today’s medal-run began with Rotorua’s Siobhan Terry, in her first UCI Para-cycling World Championship, earning a bronze medal – her second of the championships – in the women’s C4 Sprint.
Terry qualified for the sprint final alongside multi-world and Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox from Great Britain and multi-world championship medallist, Erin Normoyle from Australia.
The kiwi sat in the trail of the more illustrious pair, and looked to push through the inside in the final dash but had to settle for third placing and her second medal of the championships.
“It’s been very unexpected and very exciting,” said Terry about her first experience at a UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships. “There are lot’s of new things and lots of learnings.
“I am really stoked with the results and how it has been going and I’m also really stoked for everyone else racing in the New Zealand team in the other classifications.”
The tandem pairing of Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges returned to the competition after their outstanding ride yesterday, to contest the Women’s CB 1000m time trial final.
They impressed to qualify for the final to come up against defending world and Paralympic champions Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan of Great Britain.
The New Zealanders pushed hard but could not match the British pair who secured their third gold medal this week in 1:06.796, with the kiwis timed at 1:07.228s for a deserved silver medal.
Waikato’s Nicole Murray displayed her versatility to earn a silver medal in the Women’s C4 Sprint final.
Murray prevailed in the final sprint to claim the semifinal victory over Mariela Delgado (ARG) and Paula Ossa Veloza (COL) and fought hard in the final but could not hold off outstanding Italian sprinter Claudia Cretti who won her third gold medal of the championships.
Earlier Devon Briggs did not advance in the elimination race, introduced for the first time at the championships.
New Zealand riders will be wanting to improve on their double-figure medal haul on the final day of competition tomorrow.
Results:
Women’s C4 Sprint Final: Erin Normoyle (AUS) 1. Kadeena Cox (GBR) 2, Siobhan Terry (NZL) 3.
Women’s CB 1km Time Trial final: Lizzi Jordan-Danni Khan (GBR) 1:06.796, 1; Emma Foy-Jessie Hodges (NZL) 1:07.228, 2; Jessica Gallagher-Jacqui Mengler-Mohr (AUS) 1:07.280, 3.
Women’s C5 Sprint final: Claudia Cretti (ITA) 13.537, 1; Nicole Murray (NZL) 2.
