2010 Commonwealth Games - Delhi
WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER
Live from the IG Sports Complex
Image - PA Wire
Men's Keirin
Disqualifications and rider relegations led to the men's Keirin being branded "a joke" by voice of cycling Hugh Porter. Chris Boardman was equally dismayed, concluding the "event was sabotaged" following the disqualification of Malaysia's winning rider Awang.
Fierce comments were prompted after the earlier relegation of Australia's Shane Perkins, who was removed from the finals lineup being judged to have caused a crash which took out Scotland's Ross Edgar and South Africa's Bernard Esterhuizen.
However, the pundits were dismayed and proven right by the action replay, which seemed to vindicate Perkins. The Australian took great pleasure in displaying his feelings to the officials in the minor final - a race he easily won - but the greatest action was reseved for the final.
England's David Daniell took the initiative, jumping onto the rear wheel of the bike, hoping to use his endurance to win the event. Behind were a list of threats - Awang, Niblett, Ng and Van Vekthooven.
As the moto dropped from the track, Daniell continued the work on the front, raising the speed consistently. Pete Mitchell made his move with a lap and a half remaining, but that was overshadowed by Daniell's speed. Kept consistently high, Van Vekthooven was alongside but struggled to come past, blocking the racing line for every other rider behind.
In third position Awang didn't get discouraged, instead waiting and intimidating the New Zealander. Despite being half the size of his opponent, Awang, the Malaysian wheelie merchant unleashed with 100 metres to go, forcing a gap in the wheels, passing Daniell and winning the race, front wheel aloft.
Celebrations were shortlived though, as the judges decided Awang had been too aggressive, and the win was awarded to his countryman, Ng, the silver going to Daniell.
Following what was for many, one of the great Keirin races of all time the pundits were only to question the relevance of the competition altogether - overshadowing an otherwise enthralling battle.
1. Josiah Ng (Malaysia)
2. David Daniell (England)
3. Simon Van Velthooven (New Zealand)
4. Jason Niblett (Australia)
5. Pete Mitchell (England)
6. Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
Men's Points Race
A display of supremecy by Cameron Meyer is the only way to describe the men's points race - the Australian World Champion taking three laps from the field to convincingly win the Commonwealth title.
A professional on the road, a multiple World Champion on the track, nobody could come near to Meyer who marked every attack, took responsibilty of the race and tamed the field.
In points racing, gaining a lap is often the zenith of competition, but on this occasion one was not enough. Meyer dragged a combination of passengers around the Delhi boards - only silver medallist George Atkins looking on pace with the enigma.
Atkins racked up an impressive tally of 52 points, easily taking two laps and two sprints over the course of the race, and with it the silver medal.
Behind, the race for third was significantly closer. The Welsh presence setting up Sam Harrison with some great teamwork, although it wasn't enough to beat the Isle of Man's Mark Christian, who took the win. Both riders were equal on points, but in the final lap showdown, Christian had the legs for one last sprint.
1. Cameron Meyer (Australia) 89
2. George Atkins (England) 52
3. Mark Christian (Isle of Man) 37
4. Sam Harrison (Wales) 37
5. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 24
Women's Team Sprint
Australia's World Championship-winning pairing of Anna Mears and Kaarle McColloch dominated proceedings the women's team sprint lineup. Facing competition from Scotland, India and Canada, the finals lineup resulted in a guaranteed silver medal for the Scottish duo Jenny Davis and Charline Joiner.
In the bronze medal final, an inexperienced Indian pair overcame technical issues to finish fourth behind Canada. In the final, it was all about Australia who showed their World-class ability. For Scotland and for cycling, it was the best result to-date for the home nations.
1. Kaarle McColloch/Anna Mears (Australia)
2. Jenny Davis/Charline Joiner (Scotland)
3. Monique Sullivan/Tara Whitten (Canada)
4. Rameshwori Divi/Rejani Vijaya Kumari (India)
Womens Points Race - 100 Laps
In a show of Australian team strength, Megan Dunn captured the women's points race at the Commonwealth Games. Neither the team of New Zealand, or the individual speed of Canada's Tara Whitten was enough to overhaul a perfect tactic played by the Australian threesome.
The precedent was set in the opening ten-lap-sprint, every other team shut out for a personal showdown, before the race was defined as a lap was gained by Dunn, New Zealand's Lauren Ellis, Canada's Tara Whitten, England's Katie Colclough and Northern Ireland's Heather Wilson.
With a twenty point bonus secured, the pace momentarily settled, before a showdown resumed between Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Whitten raced alone and paid the price of no team support, while Dunn and Ellis used every teammate at their disposal.
England's team surely would have taken the most aggressive prize - Colclough, Lucy Martin and Laura Trott all featuring in futher breaks, but points are essential in this race and a distinct lack of them in the early sprints left England without a medal prospect.
That honour came down to Dunn and Ellis; separated by just two points in the final sprint, it was a winner-takes-all final lap. That battle was disrupted by the English and Welsh teams, both fighting for points which would make no difference in the overall shakeup - Ellis was blocked into a lowly eighth position at one stage and never recovered.
From this, Dunn took the final sprint convincingly, with enough time to celebrate Australia's second win in two races, Katie Colclough the best English rider in fourth.
1. Megan Dunn (Australia) 45
2. Lauren Ellis (New Zealand) 40
3. Tara Whitten (Canada) 36
4. Katie Colclough (England) 24
5. Heather Wilson (Northern Ireland) 22
Qualification Sessions
Further controversy followed in the later qualification races - not least for the Welsh team in the team pursuit. Following two alleged false starts, the team was removed from the competition without the chance to qualify for the race proper.
Heated protests followed from Welsh Team Manager Darren Tudor, with English Team Manager Shane Sutton adding to the arsenal at one stage, but the decision was final and Wales would not be granted to opportunity to race.
In the men's sprint qualification and opening heats, Ross Edgar fell foul for the second time of the day. In the keirin he was unintentionally taken out by another rider, and in the sprint a stray elbow into Edgar's chin - subsequently forcing him inside the red line - resulted in a disqualification.
The finals for all the below events take place tomorrow.
Team Pursuit Qualification
1. Australia 4.00.285
2. New Zealand 4.03.443
3. Northern Ireland 4.22.669
4. India 4.31.259
5. Wales (DSQ)
Sprint Qualification - Women
1. Anna Meares (Aus) 11.140
2. Kaarle McColloch (Aus) 11.440
3. Becky James (Wal) 11.458
4. Emily Rosemond (Aus) 11.504
5. Monique Sullivan (Can) 11.949
6. Jenny Davis (Sco) 12.353
7. Charline Joiner (Sco) 12.435
8. Mahita Mohan (Ind) 12.635
9. Rameshwori Devi (Ind) 13.398
10. Rejani Vijaya Kumari (Ind) 13.917
