Race Overview

Australian National Track Championships

February 7 - 12, 2005

At the end of each day's racing, you will be able to click below to go to event results > 

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                                                                       W19 20km Points Race Final

Review of Day 6 - Saturday

Anna Meares magical fourth gold

Olympic Games champion Anna Meares, 21, performed more magic tonight to take out her fourth gold medal of the 2005 Australian Track Cycling Championships at Adelaide's Super-Drome.

Meares sprinted to victory in the women's keirin ahead of West Australian Kristine Bayley with Kerrie Meares third. The win adds to Anna's gold medals in the sprint, 500m time trial and teams sprint in which she teamed with sister Kerrie for the title.

Kerrie helped Anna to the crown by running interference behind her sister to protect her position.

"She came unstuck with one lap to go when Kristine (Bayley) got underneath her," said Anna. "I was actually waiting to see if Kerrie would come round me because I was struggling down the back straight but that's one of the benefits of riding from the front - you're only fighting your own battle not anyone else's to stay out there."

Anna, the reigning World Champion in the 500m time trial, has already put the world on notice that she wants to add the sprint and keirin world titles to her collection but admits the keirin might take a little longer to achieve.

"I think I've got a fair way to improve in the keirin internationally as it's one area I'm pretty raw and inexperienced in and there are a lot of girls who actually specialise in the keirin," said Anna who was the silver medallist in the event at the 2003 World Championships in Germany. "I think I would struggle to ride from the front like I did tonight and I'd probably find it a lot more difficult a lot further out (from the finish line)."

Sydney's Skye-Lee Armstrong, 18, was invincible in the U19 women's 20km points race to claim gold with 29 points ahead of South Australian Bianca Rogers, 17, on 20 points and Amanda Spratt, 17, (NSW) on 18 points.

Armstrong was leading at the half way mark when she crashed heavily with Victoria's Aimee Howlett riding over the top of Armstrong as she slid down the steep end of the track. Howlett abandoned the race but Armstrong sprung up and was quickly back on the bike. On pure adrenalin the teenager then set about insuring her win sprinting with a vengeance in the final three sprints.

Sydney's Kate Bates was named Champion of Champions which is awarded to the best performed cyclist in individual events at the Championships. Bates claimed triple gold with emphatic wins in the points race, scratch race and individual pursuit. Anna Meares also claimed three individual gold medals but Bates' outstanding time in the individual pursuit tipped the scales in her favour for the prestigious award.

The Championships ended as it began, with world class performances and the week has been hailed a great success by everyone involved.

"We've seen some new names emerge as medallists this week which is what we always hope for after an Olympic cycle," said Cycling Australia President, Mike Victor. "It's very exciting as we head towards Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year to know we have such a depth of talent coming through the ranks.

"This Championships was also a great credit to the organisers here in South Australia and I'd like to thank and congratulate the South Australian Government, the SA Department of Sport and Recreation and the staff here at the Addelaide Super-Drome who worked so hard to put on such a great event."

Results - Day 6  

Women  Keirin Round 1 - 1st in each heat to final, 2nd & 3rd to Round 2

Heat 3, Liz Williams disqualified for dangerous riding during the race and causing the fall of her opponent

Women Keirin Round 2 - 1st, 2nd and 3rd to final

Women Keirin Final

W19 20km Points Race Final