UCI PARA-CYCLING TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAY 1 WRAP RIO DE JANEIRO
Cycling New Zealand’s campaign began with a triple platter of silver medals on the opening day of the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Brazil today.
Waikato’s Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs along with Rotorua’s Siobhan Terry all claimed silver medals on the renowned slick track at Rio de Janeiro.
Murray added to her bulging bag of global medals with a silver in the women’s C5 1000m time trial, which was followed by a second placing for Terry in the women’s C4 Elimination, the first time both events have been incorporated in the UCI Para-cycling World Championship programme.
Briggs, returning to top-level cycling after injuries in the lead-up to last year’s Paralympics, finished with the silver medal in the men’s C5 sprint.
Murray broke the world record in the heats of the 1km time trial in the heats, clocking 1:13.244 in qualifying before Claudia Gretti from Italy broke the world record in the final in 1:12.325.
The kiwi set the mark in the final in 1:13.629, but Gretti smashed the world record with a 1:12.028 effort in claiming the gold medal.
“I really enjoyed the kilo. It was good to start with an individual event to wake the legs up for the upcoming races in the coming days,” said Murray.
“It was good to try something new. I think it is one of my favourite events
“I’m now looking forward to getting out into the bunch events, to get stuck in and try some of the new things we have been doing in training. And I’m looking forward to how the rest of the team are getting on and excited to see we what everyone does.
It was all new for Terry in her first UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships and in the new elimination event added to the para-cycling programme.
The elimination race is decided with the last rider across the line every two laps dropping out, but Australian Tara Neyland broke the race apart when she burst off the front to break up the field and was never threatened.
The kiwi rider was able to maintain her poise to cover the challengers over the final three sprints but had to settle for a well-earned silver behind Italian who ride solo at the front.
“I felt pretty nervous and with some really good people in my category,” said Terry: “I knew I was going to give it my best shot. Once I got on the track, I felt good and excited to get a medal.
“It was a really good start to the week - an unexpected start. I will continue to give it my best shot and see how the results go.”
Briggs produced an impressive day of sprinting, qualifying second fastest in 10.793s in the men’s C3 category, to better his own New Zealand record and proving too strong for his opponents in elimination sprints through to the final.
He came up against Australian Korey Boddington in the final, after he had topped qualifiers in 10.581s. The Australian moved into the final although the kiwi was the faster in winning his semifinal.
Briggs made an excellent move to claim the lead going into last lap but the Australian proved too strong to edge his way to the win.
“It was really good to have match sprints at the world championships. Traditionally we have had the 200 as part of the omnium but to have it as a match racing format was cool.
“I was pleased to break my personal best in qualifying and rolled into the match sprint. In the final I had a good race but the Aussie was just faster.
“I am really looking for to the kilo tomorrow to see what I can do with some good sprint legs and then some bunch racing to come.”
Results:
Women C5 1000m Time Trial qualifying: Claudia Gretti (ITA) 1:12.325, 1; Nicole Murray (NZL) 1:13.244, 2 (NZ Record); Mariela Delgado 1:15.239, 3.
Final: Gretti 1:12.028 (World record), 1; Murray 1:13.629, 2; Delgado 1:14.629.
Women C4 Elimination final: Tara Neyland (AUS) 1, Siobhan Terry (NZL) 2, Erin Normoyle (AUS) 3.
Men C3 200m sprint qualifying: Korey Boddington (AUS) 10.581, 1; Devon Briggs (NZL) 10.793, 2; Finlay Graham (GBR) 11.595, 3. Semifinal 1: Boddington 13.597; Semifinal 2: Briggs 13.452. Final:
