World Track Championships 2007

Palma, Majorca, Spain

Previous coverage of the World Championships  >>  2011   2010   2009   2008    2007    2006    2005 

WCN quicklink >>  Day 1 - Team Sprint Qualifying     Team Sprint Final    Qualifying Photos    Finals Photos

                              Day 2 - Sprint Qualifying        Pursuit qualifying and final     Photos

                              Day 3 -  500m TT     Scratch Race   Sprint Final     Photos

                              Day 4 -  Points Race    Keirin Finals     Photos

Day 3

500m TT

Race Writeup

Anna Meares (AUS) demolished her own 500 metre time trial world record to win Australia's first gold medal at the 2007 Track Cycling World Championships. She took .356 seconds off the 500m time in Palmer providing the Spanish crowds with the first world record on the new track.

Meares set the previous record in November with 33.944 in Sydney, but shaved nearly a half-second off on the new boards at the Palma velodrome.

The mainly Spanish crowd in the sold out Palma Arena cheered her all the way to the line and gave her a standing ovation as she set the first ever world record on their new velodrome. Meares was then enveloped in a haze of celebratory hugs, kisses and media attention with no time to prepare for the first of the best of three heats to decide the sprint bronze medal against a demoralised Guerra who had watched the Australian snatch the time trial gold medal from her grasp.

Right from the start of the programme the tension was on, Britain's Shanaze Reade, who won gold in the team sprint with Victoria Pendleton on the opening day, threw down the gauntlet at the start of the event when she posted a time of 34.633 seconds racing in her first-ever 500m TT and no one could get close until the last four riders, when Simona Krupeckaite (Lituania) set a time of 34.487 seconds. This was immediately beaten by Lisandra Guerra Rodriguez (CUBA), who set a time close to the world record 34.015 seconds. The last but one rider to start was Meares and each split time was ahead of the Cuban. The Spanish crowd went crazy. You would have thought it was a Spanish rider on the track. Meares broke the world record in style. The final rider to take the track was Natalia Tsylinskaya (Belerus) who decided to take part in the 500m after missing out on a medal in the sprint, managed a sub 35 second time to win Bronze.

Anna Meares (AUS) had this immediate reaction to gaining the World Record in a time of 33.588 seconds. “It was a hard day of racing and I felt pretty ordinary and after last year it was a hard road back. We have the best group in the world and best team in the world I just can't believe it.

Marv (Martin Barras) sat me down before the race today cause I was really hurting after the sprint and he said if all you can give me is one ride give me one ride and I don't care about the rest - well he got his one ride. It felt really good - just as the season's progressed gotten better and better. I am 'stoked' that time trial was just sensational. I was hurting after the sprint semis this morning.

Anna was asked if she thought she could do it?, “I wasn't sure with the condition of the track but after first teams sprint day and saw Vicki and Shanaze time I knew the world record would be close and I'd be chasing a really fast time. [When I got on the track] I just didn't even think about it I just went out and went through the motions.” 

"I felt really good right from the gun," said the tearful Meares. "Just as this season has progressed, I've gotten better and better. I came to the track after the sprint semi-finals and after two days of racing and I was quite tired," said Meares, "I was seeing double, I said, 'I'm all over the shop. I just raced and it worked. I didn't realise how fast going until I got to the end." 

"She was pooped this morning and it was a great concern to me but she's a classy athlete and she showed that," said an overjoyed Martin Barras. "That was special, that was very special. It was tough trying to manage the sprint and the 500 and to chase two rabbits at once which is not the way I usually like to do things," said Barras of the event scheduling that put both finals on in the same session. "But she wanted to do it and she took the gamble and she pulled it off."

"He's a fantastic coach and I really wouldn't be able to have the accolades I have without him and my sponsors NAB and Homesglen TAFE all of whom have stood behind me through a really rough time with my injury," said the grateful Champion. “The next 12 months are going to be special; it’s a shame the 500 is not going to be at the Olympics. That is a real disappointment, although I am biased, I am a fan of the 500. But the sprint is still there and it is something I need to work on, to be Olympic champion this time round you have to be sprint champion and it is the one that has alluded me my whole career so far so next season it will be a focus on the sprint rather than the time trail.”

Meares plans to ride the World Cup on the new Beijing track in December to get a feel for it and the stadium prior to the Olympics.

Lisandra Guerra Rodriguez (Cuba) was happy with her time but disappointed not to have won gold to back up her world cup title this year. “I am happy with my time, but a little bit disappointed too. I knew that I had good form but it is hard to be beaten when I had such a good time. I came here to do my best and I did that.” At 19, Guerra Rodriguez still has many years to win gold.

Natalya Tsylinskaya, the outgoing champion from Belarus, took the bronze medal in 34.430sec. It was hard for her to race after Meares had delivered a world record, she commented on this. “It was really hard to follow Anna. I thought I am just human I will just try my best. I am happy with Bronze, times were fast today”

Anna Blyth (Great Britain) is a rising star in her first senior world championships. She finished 8^th in the 500m. She chatted to WCN about her performances so far in the championships. “I achieved a personal best in the 500m so I am very happy.” Blyth has stepped up from the junior ranks this year and has performed exceptionally well, she commented on this. “I didn’t think I would ride so well here. It’s just been unbelievable. I have posted some good times but just sitting here watching everyone else is inspiring.” Blyth will complete in the European championships and hope to qualify for Beijing in 2008.

Kristine Bayley (AUS) rode a personal best in a time of 35.264 seconds, 3 10^ths faster than she has ridden before. “Although it was 4/10^th slower than my standing lap in qualifying and it would have been nice to go out quicker today but it didn’t happen. This is my first senior world championships so I am happy to come away with a medal in the team sprint.”

Shanaze Reade's performance was perhaps the most surprising. The former BMX champion started racing track just eight months ago and won gold with the women's team sprint. The 18-year-old was a late addition after Victoria Pendleton preferred to focus her attention on the sprint event. During Reade’s wait to see her final position, she was fidgeting and looked very stressed. When it was over, she chatted to WCN. “I can’t believe this, this is my first ever 500m tt. I'm far from disappointed though, it was my first time ever riding that event. I'm thrilled to bits. Now I think I will look a bit closer at doing this event in the future."