Melbourne (Australia) Commonwealth Games

March 16, 2006 | British Cycling's Larry Hickmott reports
>Commonwealth Games (Day 1)

Women's 500 metre TT

Above: Victoria Pendleton shows us her Silver medal for the 500 TT.

Only five riders took to the start of this event but they were quality riders with World Class times being recorded to decide the medals. The first rider off, New Zealand's Fiona Carswell did a '35' which is World Class but when Kerry Meares took a few tenths off the time of Carswell's, the writing was on the wall for the New Zealand riders who were the only challengers outside of England and Australia.

Pendleton blasted off at the start recording 19.576 for the first 250m lap and sweeping round the second. As soon as she crossed the line the words 'Commonwealth Record' flashed up on the giant screen. She had taken the lead by more than half a second and beaten Kerrie Meares' Games record, set in Manchester four years ago, by more than three tenths.

Pendleton must have thought that would be enough for the top prize. But Anna Meares is not Olympic champion for nothing. To the roars of the Aussie fans, and watched by her parents for the first time ever in her career, she clocked 34.326 to take the gold medal and eclipse Pendleton's mark.

After the medals, Victoria came past the mixed zone which most of the media were crowded into and gave her reaction to the silver medal.

"I'm very happy with that ride" Victoria told us after coming off the podium for the medal ceremony. "The time was a lot faster than I expected so I am pleased with that. Two tenths, it's not very much and she is the Olympic champion. It's probably the best 500 metre effort I have ever done and I'm very positive about the Sprint to come".

"It seemed to take forever waiting for Anna's ride," added Pendleton. "I know it's only 34 seconds but it seemed ages. I just wish the time had gone a bit slower. But it was an excellent ride by Anna so you can't take that away from her."

Anna Meares meanwhile was very pleased, with her sister Kerry saying that finishing first and third in front of their parents was even better than the medals they received. "I didn't notice my back injury at all out there" Anna Meares said. "I have had a lot of trouble with it in the last 12 months and it was perfect on the day".

Podium for the Womens  500m TT

Result
1. Anna Meares, Australia, 34.326
2. Victoria Pendleton, England, 34.662
3. Kerry Meares, Australia, 35.210
4. Fiona Carswell, New Zealand, 35.635
5. Elizabeth Williams, New Zealand, 36.104

Winner, Anna Meares.