Wrexham Rider Defends World Title

 

21st August 2007

From Jane Williams at Disability Sport Wales

 

Wrexham rider Ellen Hunter looks a strong contender for selection to Team GB at next year's Paralympics after winning gold and defending her world title at the UCI Para-Cycling Championships.

 

The 39-year-old is a pilot rider to Aileen McGlynn of Scotland who is partially sighted. The pair's success came on day two of the Championships which saw Team GB haul in three gold medals.

 

They took gold in Athens 2004 and are now set to be the favourites to beat once again in Beijing.

 

Hunter and McGlynn who smashed the World record at the 2006 VISA Paralympic World Cup - bettered their 2006 winning time of 1:10.795 in clocking 1:10.539 in the Women's 1000m Tandem Time Trial. But whereas they won gold with seconds to spare last year, this time they only had two tenths of a second over Katie Parker and Felicity Johnson of Australia.

 

GB Performance Manager Dave Mellor was full of praise for Hunter's winning attitude, saying 'Ellen is a really super athlete and can really turn it on'.

Team GB features four Welsh riders at the Championships and it is hoped that a second rainbow jersey may be delivered by a Welsh rider, courtesy of Swansea's kilometre time trial specialist Jody Cundy.

 

1 A.McGLYNN/E.HUNTER GBR 1:10.539 Gold
2 F.JOHNSON/K.PARKER AUS 1:10.789 Silver
3 L.HOU/T.GALLAGHER AUS 1:11.639 Bronze