Cycling Australia

The 2013 Subaru Cycling Australia Track National Championships continued in a steamy Dunc Gray Velodrome on Thursday afternoon, with a host of Australia’s London Olympic stars qualifying for finals.
 
In the men’s 4000m team pursuit, it was the South Australian quartet of Luke Davison, Alex Edmondson, Glenn O’Shea and Miles Scotson who cruised to the fastest qualifying time with 4mins 04.688seconds.
 
They will face off against the New South Wales team of Caleb Ewan, Harvey, Tirian McManus and Nicholas Yallouris (4:07.853) as they attempt to retain their SouthCott Cup trophy tonight.
 
In the women’s 3000m individual pursuit final, it will be a battle between London Olympic team mates with Tasmania’s Amy Cure (3:31.776) posting the fastest time ahead of South Australia’s Annette Edmondson (3:32.507) for gold.
 
West Australian (3:34.523) Isabella King will face off for bronze against Sydney’s Ashlee Ankudinoff (3:34.977).
 
In the men’s sprint flying 200m qualifying, London Olympian Matthew Glaetzer (10.034) broke Shane Perkins' Australian Championships record on the way to posting the fastest time.

Glaetzer's team sprint world champion and Olympic team mate Scott Sunderland (10.074) qualified second with the heats continuing tonight and the final to be contested on Friday night.
 
London Paralympic Games pilot Stephanie Morton (11.233) outsprinted her more experienced rival Kaarle McCulloch (11.242) by nine one-thousandths of a second to qualify fastest in the women’s flying 200m sprint qualifying.
 
Five-time junior world champion Taylah Jennings qualified third fastest in a time of 11.450seconds.
 
In the under 19 men’s sprint Alex Radzikiewicz (SA), Patrick Constable (SA), Thomas Clarke (ACT), Travis Smedley (NSW) progressed through to the semi-finals which will be held tonight.
 
Seventeen-year-old West Australian Tian Beckett claimed the sole gold medal on offer on Thursday’s afternoon session, claiming the under 19 women’s 500m time trial final covering the two laps in a time of 35.943secs.
 
Beckett took the win from Queensland’s Tennille Falappi (37.051) and South Australia’s Holly Takos (37.218).
 
“I am extremely happy, this medal means a lot to me,” Beckett exclaimed. “It is a little symbol that shows all my hard work that has been put in by me, my coach, my mentor and my parents.
 
“Sprinting is so much more exciting, it has a character to it I guess,” Beckett said of her switch to the sprint program just over twelve months ago.
 
Beckett continued her recent good form on the Dunc Gray track, having won the team sprint gold medal with Courtney Field (VIC) just two weeks ago at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
 
“After last weekend doing the AYOF, I am happy with how I backed up and the time, but I know I have a lot more I can improve,” she said.

The 2013 Subaru Cycling Australia Track National Championships will be held at Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome from 30 January to 2 February, 2013.
 
The Championships will be shown live on SBS TWO from 7:30pm on Friday 1 February and Saturday 2 February.
 
Follow the action online:

• Website http://tracknationals.subaru.com.au/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/CyclingAusTrack
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CyclingAusTrack
• Live results http://tracknationals.subaru.com.au/senior/results/
• Live Stream - From 7:30pm on Friday 1 & Saturday 2 February at www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral