The Para cycling pair of Emma Foy and Jesse Hodges sealed a golden week with their second gold medal on the penultimate day of competition at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at the Commonwealth Games. They added gold in the women’s tandem B 1000m time trial to their victory in the sprint competition on the opening day.
While their win in the sprint was less expected, today’s gruelling 1000m time trial played into their endurance strengths, celebrating with the additional reward of breaking a national record in the process. The pair recorded 1:06.367 in the final to claim the title by half a second, and beat the New Zealand record which Foy established with a previous pilot Hannah van Kampen, almost a decade ago.
Olympic double winner Ellesse Andrews showed her mettle in the women’s 1000m time trial, an event far from her usual sprint menu. After feeling below her usual best this week, Andrews dug deep in the 1000m time trial, and built into her ride, clocking 1:04.523. This set a new national record, bettering the mark she set at the world championships last year.
“I didn’t know what to expect because it’s been a very long time since I’ve done a kilo. I just focussed on what I could control during the race and I was happy to leave it all out there,” said Andrews.
Sam Dakin returned in his less favoured sprint competition but was unable to qualify.
There were some mixed fortunes in the women’s points race, with the outstanding Ally Wollaston pushing hard in the closing stages to gain a lap on the field and falling just four points off the podium.
George Jackson and Keegan Hornblow were prominent in the men’s 40km points race, with Hornblow away in a late break. Jackson attacked on the final lap needing points to push for a late medal opportunity, but he came down in a fall that took out several riders.
New Zealand sits on an impressive eight medals in cycling with opportunity to extend that on the final day tomorrow with medallists Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs competing in 1000m time trial and individual pursuit respectively.
Andrews leads the sprinters in the keirin, Dakin takes on the kilo, 2024 world champion Wollaston in the elimination race, and the strong chances in the men’s points race.
Ellesse Andrews on the podium