Waikato riders Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs added to the outstanding medal haul on the penultimate day of competition at the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships at Apeldoorn in the Netherlands today.
Murray, a gold medal endurance winner, claimed the silver medal in the women’s C5 sprint, while gold medal-winning sprinter, Devon Briggs produced and exciting display to win the C3 Elimination endurance race today.
It brought New Zealand’s to nine medals with one day of the competition remaining, sharing the top of the world championship standings with Great Britain and Australia.
Murray, who women’s C5 Elimination gold medal in an impressive display of endurance riding, showed her prowess in sprint, finishing second to Australian Caitlin Ward in the final of the sprint, after qualifying third fastest in 12.320s, a fraction outside her New Zealand record. She went on to win her semifinal before producing an excellent ride to claim the silver medal.
It has taken her tally to 20 medals across World Track, Road and Paralympic competition in an illustrious career.
“I am really proud to snag a silver medal today. it was a tough competition. Congrats to the Aussie rider on the gold – she is a really strong rider. But I am happy to have bagged another medal before my Scratch race tomorrow to finish off the competition.”
Briggs has been one of the standout riders at the championships with his third world championship rainbow jersey this week after a thrilling win in the elimination race.
If Briggs was to take up poker, he would pose a real threat, given his ability to keep a trump card in his pocket. Time and again he saved his potent sprint to the last possible moment to survive in the elimination, where the last rider is eliminated every two laps.
The kiwi managed over the last four sprints, including the two-rider final dash when he edged out Great Britain’s Graham Finlay on the line.
The kiwi has little time to rest, as he will return on the final day for the 10k scratch race before joining Anna Taylor and Ieuan Edwards in the 750m Team Sprint.
In other racing, Canterbury world champion debutante, Edwards made the semifinals in the C5 Sprint, having broken his own New Zealand record in qualification, posting a time of 10.649s in qualifying third fastest.
Earlier Rotorua’s Siobhan Terry also made the semifinals in the C4 Sprint, with her time of 12.268s also a national record, edged by eventual winner Xiaohui Li (China).
Kiwis in action on the final day include Edwards, Briggs and Murray in respective 10km scratch races, with the New Zealand trio in the team sprint.
