Cycling Australia

The 2010 Australian Junior Track Championships has continued to unearth Australia's generation-next with a host of maiden championships on Day 2 at Melbourne’s DISC Velodrome.

In the junior mens 17 3000m individual pursuit, the strength of Victorian pursuiting was once again on show with the southern state completing a trifecta in the final.

After pairing to win the teams pursuit championships on day one, Jack Cummings claimed his first individual gold medal at an Australian junior level over team mate Alexander Morgan in the final.

Cummings never looked in doubt and lead from start to finish in a time of 2minutes 21.496seconds, with Morgan crossing the line a second further back in 2minutes 22.494seconds. 

Fellow team pursuit gold medallist Evan Hull (2minutes 22.279seconds) defeated South Australian Miles Scotson (2minutes 25.075seconds) to complete the Victorian clean sweep.

In the junior womens 15 individual pursuit, Tasmania's Lauren Perry also claimed her first Australian junior track championship with a sensational ride in the final.

In a battle of the apple isle, Perry and team mate Macey Stewart were locked in a tight battle throughout the 2000m event.  But despite Stewart holding a half a second advantage going into the final lap, Perry dug deep to produce a blistering final 250m to cross the line in 2minutes 43.918seconds, three tenths of a second ahead of Stewart (2minutes 44.243seconds).

In the bronze medal ride off, West Australian Molly Booker (2minutes48.250seconds) was too good for team mate Zsuzanna Antal (2mins52.421seconds).

Stewart and Perry are also on track to meet in the junior womens 15 sprint final after both easily progressed through qualifying.  They will face New South Wales' Lara Batkin and Victoria's Courtney Field respectively in Saturday's semit finals for a shot at sprint gold.  The Championships conclude on Saturday at Melbourne’s DISC Velodrome.

In the junior womens 17 event, Victoria's Imogen Jelbart easily progressed through to the semi finals and will be aiming to make it three gold medals in Saturday's finals.  Team mate Caitlin Ward, West Australian Monica Bonasera and Queensland's Taylah Jennings make up the semi final list after also progressing through qualifying with ease.

The junior mens finals were also decided, with fastest qualifer Michael Docker of New South Wales to meet second fastest qualifer, Queensland's Jesse Kerrison for gold in the juniors mens 17 event.  Victoria's Jacob Schmid will line up against Caleb Ewan of New South Wales for bronze.

It will be an all New South Wales' battle in the junior mens 15 final with fastest qualifer Travis Smedley to face Max Housden, whilst South Australia's Jeone Park will battle Victoria's Braeden Dean for bronze.

In the final event of the evening, the junior womens 17 scratch race, Monica Bonasera claimed her first championships in one of the best junior scratch races seen at an Australian championships.

The ACT pair of Maddy Marshall and Lucy Kirk set the early pace in the 5km final, with numerous attempts to break away absorbed by the main field, however the decisive move came from Bonasera when she attacked at the bell lap. 

In a sprint to the finish, she survived a fantastic challenge in the final straight by eventual silver medallist Antonia Abbisogni of Victoria and bronze medallist Rebecca Dunn of New South Wales to take her first championship gold medal in a time of 7minutes 2.579seconds.

After Day 2 of the championships, Victoria's home town advantage sees them well clear on the medal tally with four gold, four silver and three bronze for a total of eleven medals. 

New South Wales has five medals overall, with Tasmania and West Australia winning four each, whilst Queensland has claimed three. 

Official event photography will be provided by Leanne Cole with photos available for purchase at her website. www.leannecole.com

Other Links
	2010 Australian Junior Track Championships > Official website